*JOLOGT  UBRAMl 


I'holo  by  A.  C.  Jfedficld 

RKD-W1NGKD    BLACKBIRD    FLEDGLING 


The  Ornithology  of 

Chester  County, 

Pennsylvania 

BY 

Franklin  Lorenzo  Burns 

IN     CO-OPERATION     WITH     LOCAL     ORNITHOLOGISTS 

"The  burnished  bluebird  with  the  spring-time  song; 

The  azure-winged  runnel's  April  call; 
The  timid  wren,  the  falcon  fierce  and  strong ; 

The  soaring  water-fowl,  the  swooping  fall;" 

— T.  BUCHANAN  READ 


BOSTON 

RICHARD;  Q,  3ADGIJR 

TH'E  GORHAM  PRESS 


Copyright,  19J9,  by  Richard  G.  Badger 

•IOLOG 
All  Rights  Reserved 


BIOLOGY  LIBRARY 


MADJB  IN:THB  ;I3NI-TEp  STATES  'OF  AMERICA 
THH  OoRalii  PRBSS,  BOSTON,  U.  S.  A, 


CONTENTS 
PART  I 

Physical  Features,  Habitats,  Biographical  Notes 

and  Review  of  Faunal  Lists 9 

PART  II 
Annotated  List  29 

PART  III 

Bibliography  of  Faunal  Lists   115 

Notes    119 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

Red  Winged  Blackbird  Fledgling Frontispiece 

Ideal  Sketch  of  Westtown  Boarding  School  in 

1810  10 

Vincent  Barnard 1 1 

Ezra  Michener,  M.  D 20 

Charles  J.  Pennock 21 

B.  Harry  Warren,  M.  D 30 

Thomas  H.  Jackson 31 

Black-Crowned  Night  Heron  Nest  and  Eggs. .  40 

Night  Hawk  Eggs  in  Situ 41 

Turkey  Vulture  Nestling  Two  or  Three 

Weeks  Old  52 

Young  Turkey  Vulture  About  Ten  Weeks 

Old  53 

Great  Horned  Owls  Fifteen  Weeks  Old 64 

Barn  Owls  Ten  Weeks  Old 65 

Acadian  Flycatcher  Nest  and  Eggs 76 

Indigo  Bunting  Nest  and  Eggs 77 

White-Eyed  Vireo  on  Nest 88 

Black  and  White  Warbler  Nest  and  Eggs 89 

Worm-Eating  Warbler  Nest  and  Eggs 100 

Blue- Winged  Warbler  Nest  and  Eggs 101 

Yellow-Breasted  Chat  on  Nest 114 

Kentucky  Warbler  Nest  and  Eggs 115 


THE  ORNITHOLOGY  OF  CHESTER 
COUNTY 


ORNITHOLOGY 

PART  I 

PHYSICAL      FEATURES,      HABITATS,      BIOGRAPHICAL 
NOTES    AND    REVIEW    OF    FAUNAL    LISTS 

Chester  county  lies  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
Pennsylvania,  bordering  the  states  of  Delaware  and 
Maryland  from  the  Brandywine  to  the  Octoraro, 
and  extends  northward  to  about  40°  15'  on  the 
Schuylkill.  With  the  exception  of  the  extreme 
southeastern  townships,  its  area  of  780  square  miles 
is  a  part  of  the  Delaware  river  system.  Chester  val- 
ley cuts  through  the  centre  in  a  southwesterly  direc- 
tion at  a  depth  varying  from  200  to  400  feet,  and 
from  500  to  2,000  yards  wide  for  practically  the 
entire  distance  of  30  miles;  dividing  the  county 
in  not  unequal  parts.  For  almost  two  hundred  years 
this  valley  has  been  almost  entirely  deforested  and 
under  cultivation;  in  consequence  its  wild  animal 
life  is  less  varied  than  that  of  the  wooded  hills  on 
either  side.  It  would  appear,  however,  that  the 
Killdeer,  Red-headed  Woodpecker  and  Grasshop- 
per Sparrow  are  more  constant  breeders  here  than 
elsewhere  in  the  county,  and  the  Mallard  and  Black- 
crowned  Night  Heron  are  peculiar  to  the  broad  and 
deep  eastern  part. 

The  northern  half  of  the  county  is  a  succession 
of  hills  and  vales  to  the  Welsh  mountain  (elevation 
728  feet  above  the  sea  at  Waynesburg).  From  the 
9 


IO          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

latter  region  spring  the  main  branches  of  the 
Brandy  wine  creek,  which  flows  in  a  southeasterly 
direction  and  for  35  miles  drains  a  large  portion  of 
the  county;  the  only  extensive  marsh  land  (several 
hundred  acres)  lies  near  its  source.  The  French, 
Pickering  and  Valley  are  the  most  important  creeks 
flowing  into  the  Schuylkill,  and  at  Valley  Forge 
where  the  latter  creek  empties  into  the  river,  the 
elevation  is  less  than  75  feet.  In  recent  times  the 
Rough-winged  Swallow  has  been  the  most  character- 
istic bird  of  the  SchuylkiJl  river  banks. 

The  southern  part  of  the  county  is  only  less  undul- 
ating; the  eastern  section  drained  by  the  headwaters 
of  the  Darby,  Crum,  Ridley  and  Chester  creeks, 
which,  with  the  united  streams  of  the  Brandywine 
river,  the  Red  Clay  and  the  White  Clay  creeks; 
flow  into  the  Delaware.  The  Big  Elk  creek  empties 
into  the  head  of  the  Chesapeake  bay,  and  the  Octor- 
aro  into  the  Susquehanna  river.  It  is  from  this 
region  that  we  occasionally  have  record  of  strag- 
glers from  the  Austroriparian  fauna. 

While  the  county  is  abundantly  watered  by  small 
streams,  the  absence  of  large  bodies  of  water  ac- 
count for  the  comparative  scarcity  of  water  fowl 
and  shore  birds.  As  early  as  1748,  according  to 
Peter  Kalm,  the  woods  were  mainly  deciduous,  and 
free  of  underbrush  on  account  of  the  annual  burn- 
ing indulged  in  by  the  small  bands  of  the  Lenni 
Lenapes  located  in  Willistown  and  along  the 
Brandywine. 

The  Chester  Valley  and  Brandywine  hills  arc 
famous  breeding  grounds  of  the  Turkey  Vulture, 


IDEAL    SKETCH    OF    WESTTOWN    BOARDING    SCHOOL    IN    l8lO 


VINCENT   BARNARD 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  II 

Broad-winged  Hawk,  Acadian  Flycatcher,  Fish 
Crow,  Worm-eating  and  Kentucky  Warblers  (the 
Barn  Owl,  Cardinal,  Blue-winged  Warbler  and 
Chat  being  equally  abundant  in  the  Chester  val- 
ley, and  the  Mockingbird,  Carolina  Wren,  Tufted 
Tit  and  Carolina  Chickadee  are  more  often  found 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  county)  ;  all  are  more 
or  less  typical  of  the  Carolinian  fauna. 

The  Black-billed  Cuckoo,  Scarlet  Tanager  and 
Black  and  White  Warbler  are  more  or  less  com- 
mon, and  the  occasional  presence  in  the  summer  of 
the  Bobolink,  Swamp  Sparrow,  Rose-breasted  Gros- 
beak, Tree  Swallow,  Chestnut-sided  Warbler  and 
Redstart,  would  suggest  that  a  more  careful  sur- 
vey of  the  somewhat  higher  ground  of  the  north- 
western section  might  reveal  a  stronger  element  of 
the  Transition  zone. 

The  so-called  "Paoli  barrens"  is  an  exposed  bed 
of  serpentine  rock,  about  eight  miles  in  length  and 
from  a  few  hundred  feet  to  more  than  a  mile  in 
breadth ;  beginning  more  than  a  mile  south  of  Paoli 
and  extending  nearly  to  West  Chester.  The  few 
inches  of  humus  gives  sufficient  sustenance  to  a 
coarse  native  sedge  grass,  a  tangle  of  greenbriers 
(Smilax  glauca  and  S.  rotundifolia)  and  a  stunted 
growth  to  scattered  groves  of  scrub-oak  (Quercus 
stellata,  Q.marylandica,  O.ilicefolia  and  Q.pruio- 
ides),  red  cedar  (Juniper  virginiana),  pitch  pine 
(Pinus  rigida),  and  among  the  common  herbaceous 
plants,  Talinum  tereti folium1  is  typical  of  the  ser- 
pentine. In  this  untillable  tract  the  Mourning 
Dove,  Long-eared  Owl  and  Nighthawk  find  congen- 


12          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

ial  homes,  the  local  strain  of  the  Bobwhite  made  its 
last  stand,  and  tradition  says  that  the  Heath  Hen 
inhabited  this  growth  in  early  Colonial  times.  A 
similar  and  more  extensive  tract  occurs  in  Elk  and 
Nottingham  townships,  extending  into  Maryland; 
where  the  pitch  pine  is  the  dominant  tree  and  the 
Prairie  Warbler  a  regulai  breeder. 

Anomalism  in  habitat  is  exemplified  in  the  absence 
or  extreme  scarcity  of  breeding  members  of  the 
Red-tailed  Hawk  and  the  Great  Horned  Owl  on 
the  ridge  forming  the  Delaware-Schuylkill  water- 
shed, where  the  Cooper's  Hawk  is  common.  The 
paucity  of  winter  visitants  on  this  ridge  cannot  be 
attributed  to  insufficient  food  or  shelter,  but  I  think 
it  is  altogether  due  to  the  northern  visitor  follow- 
ing the  line  of  the  least  resistance  on  either  side, 
i.  e.  the  valleys  of  the  Delaware  or  Schuylkill. 

Local  ornithologists  have  been  most  active  and 
more  numerous  in  the  vicinity  of  Kennett  Square, 
Westtown,  West  Chester,  Coatesville  and  Berwyn; 
neighborhoods  originally  settled  largely  by  the  Eng- 
lish, Welsh,  Scotch-Irish  and  German  members  of 
the  Society  of  Friends,  commonly  called  Quakers;2 
to  whom  the  study  of  the  natural  sciences  seemed 
peculiarly  agreeable.  Few  like  sections  have  been 
more  carefully  worked  than  the  south-central  to  the 
eastern  part  of  Chester  county,  and  specimens  from 
this  region  may  be  found  in  nearly  every  large  col- 
lection. 

Near  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  John  J. 
Audubon3  settled  at  "Mill  Grove"  on  the  banks  of 
the  Perkiomen  and  Schuylkill,  opposite  Valley  Forge 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  13 

and  just  beyond  the  county  line.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  a  two  years'  visit  to  France,  he  resided 
here  until  1808,  returning  to  visit  his  father-in-law 
at  "Fatland  Ford"  in  1812  and  1824.  His  en- 
thusiastic search  for  ornithological  material  doubt- 
less often  found  him  on  Chester  county  soil  and  as 
some  of  his  published  notes  apply  to  either  side  of  the 
river,  he  may  be  considered  our  first  ornithologist. 

Thomas  Say4  entered  the  Friends'  Boarding 
School  of  Westtown,  in  May,  1799,  being  the 
seventeenth  boy  admitted  to  the  newly  established 
school.  In  those  days  the  register  number  was  re- 
garded as  of  great  importance  and  placed  on  all 
clothing.  Most  of  the  school  farm  of  600  acres 
along  the  Chester  creek  was  primeval  forest  at  this 
time  and  for  many  years  later,  although  the  deer 
and  bear  had  disappeared.  While  here,  young  Say, 
no  doubt  learned  much  bird-lore  useful  later  in  Gov- 
ernmental work,  but  the  discipline  then  in  vogue 
appeared  too  severe  for  one  of  his  peculiarly  sensi- 
tive nature  and  he  seemed  to  have  acquired  and  re- 
tained in  after  life  to  his  detriment,  an  intense  dis- 
like for  his  teachers  and  for  all  ordinary  branches 
of  study. 

Early  in  1819,  John  K.  Townsend,5  then  a  lad  of 
little  more  than  nine  years,  entered  the  West- 
town  school.  Another  pupil6  of  that  period  writes 
entertainingly  of  a  poaching  adventure  that  cost  him 
and  his  newly  found  friend  a  sound  birching.  Tak- 
ing a  page  out  of  the  squirrel's  book,  it  was  the 
custom  of  the  students  of  this  school  to  hoard  fruit 
and  nuts  in  boxes  hidden  away  in  the  earth.  For  this 


14          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

purpose  the  boy  was  engaged  in  filling  his  sack  in 
the  school  orchard,  "out  of  bounds,"  when  "Jack" 
Townsend,  his  shirt  bosom  distended  with  apples; 
crossed  his  path  under  the  low  branches  of  an  apple 
tree,  and  as  he  was  about  to  direct  the  new  boy 
where  the  best  fruit  lay,  he  espied  the  broad-brim- 
med hat  of  the  teacher  approaching  along  the  hedge. 
He  writes  of  Townsend :  Active  in  mind,  ardent  in 
temperament,  full  of  life  and  indefatigable  in  the 
pursuit  of  an  idea  that  once  possessed  his  mind.  I 
have  known  him  to  watch  for  days  a  pair  of  birds 
constructing  their  nest,  and  far  more  interested  in 
the  operation  than  in  the  irksome  study  of  an  in- 
doors lesson,  although  fully  up  to  any  one  in  his 
class.  It  was  at  this  early  age  that  the  incipient 
ornithologist  appeared. 

Under  the  stimulus  of  some  great  works  on  Amer- 
ican ornithology,  some  of  our  brightest  students  at- 
tempted the  study  of  the  local  birds  and  if  the 
second  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century  failed  of 
being  the  golden  period  of  ornithology  in  Chester 
county,  it  was  due  to  Quaker  modesty. 

John  K.,  and  his  cousin,  William  P.  Townsend,7 
and  perhaps  one  or  two  others,  of  West  Chester; 
were  the  first  to  form  a  nearly  complete  collection 
of  local  birds  in  the  county,  and  the  former  while 
collecting  for  Dr.  Ezra  Michener  at  New  Garden 
in  1833,  took  the  unique  Townsend's  Bunting.  In 
1826,  the  Chester  County  Cabinet  of  Science  was 
established  in  West  Chester,  and  when  the  organi- 
zation moved  into  their  own  building  erected  in 
1836,  it  was  entered  in  the  minutes  that  "the 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  15 

Ornithological  department  has  specimens  of  most 
of  the  birds  that  make  their  home  with  us  during 
the  spring  and  summer,  as  well  as  those  that  are 
but  transient  visitors."  This  exhibit  doubtless  in- 
cludes the  Townsend  collection,  as  well  as  those 
personally  collected  and  mounted  by  Philip  P. 
Sharpies,8  then  lecturing  in  the  building  on  chemis- 
try and  philosophy.  No  catalogue  of  this  collection 
appears,  although  it  is  still  in  part  preserved  in  the 
Normal  School  Library.  John  Cassin,9  short,  thick- 
set and  genial;  entered  Westtown  School  from 
Providence,  Delaware  county,  in  October,  1829,  and 
probably  soon  found  place  among  the  legion  of 
youthful  egg  collectors  that  flourished  in  the  school 
"in  spite  of  all  sumptuary  laws  and  abolition"; 
though  he  later  became  one  of  the  most  bookish 
of  ornithologists. 

In  the  spring  of  1833,  Dr.  Thomas  B.  Wilson,10 
the  generous  patron  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of 
Natural  Sciences;  bought  a  farm  at  New  London, 
where  he  summered  and  collected  until  1841. 

Benj.  M.  Everhart11  of  West  Chester,  was  an- 
other of  our  pioneer  naturalists,  and  though  he 
specialized  in  botany,  he  was  interested  in  birds  as 
early  as  1839  and  for  nearly  half  a  century  later. 

William  L.  Baily12  of  Philadelphia,  who  entered 
Westtown  School  early  in  1839,  was  a  proficient 
artist  and  taxidermist.  He  spent  some  of  his  sum- 
mers in  the  vicinity  of  West  Chester. 

Lucius  D.  Price,13  of  West  Chester,  was  also 
a  close  student  of  bird  life,  and  H.  B.  Graves,14 
also  of  West  Chester  until  the  last  few  years  of  his 


1 6         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

life  when  he  removed  to  Geiger's Mill,  Berks  county ; 
a  close  friend  of  Everhart's  and  one  of  the  few  pro- 
fessional taxidermists  of  his  day  in  the  State;  has 
several  important  county  records  resting  on  his 
authority:  the  Gull-billed  Tern,  Great  Gray  Owl 
and  Bohemian  Waxwing. 

Major  General  George  A.  McCall,15  whose 
ornithological  work  seems  to  have  been  confined  al- 
most wholly  to  the  Southwest ;  resided  at  his  home 
"Belair,"  West  Goshen  township,  from  1855  to 
1 86 1,  and  from  1863  until  his  death. 

Prof.  E.  D.  Cope16  was  another  Westtown  schol- 
ar, and  it  is  said  that  after  the  age  of  thirteen,  his 
summer  intervals  of  boarding  school  life  and  later  of 
tutoring  were  filled  among  the  woods,  fields  and 
streams  of  Chester  county,  where  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  birds  was  added  to  that  of  batrachians,  rep- 
tiles and  insects.  I  have  a  few  highly  prized  bird 
skins  taken  by  him  in  1858  and  1859  at  London 
Grove,  Elk  creek  and  elsewhere  in  Chester  county. 

J.  W.  Sharp17  of  Bervvyn  formed  the  nucleus  of 
a  sportsmen's  collection  between  1858  and  1880. 
It  consisted  largely  of  mounted  specimens  of  the 
Game  birds  and  Raptores.  My  earliest  recollection 
was  of  this  exhibit  at  "Hawthorn  Farm."  It  con- 
tained a  number  of  species  now  unobtainable. 

Willis  P.  Hazard18  moved  to  East  Bradford  in 
1865  and  living  there  continuously  until  1904,  when 
his  residence  "Maple  Knoll"  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
?Ie  was  a  student  of  ornithology  although  he  seems 
to  have  done  little  active  field  work.  In  the  course 
of  his  business  as  a  bookman  and  publisher,  he 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  17 

acquired  much  Wilsoniana  of  the  highest  value  and 
superintended  the  publication  of  the  Porter  &  Coates 
edition  of  Wilson,  Ord  and  Bonaparte's  American 
Ornithology,  in  which  he  used  Wilson's  own  copper 
plates. 

A  Quakeress  devotee  to  natural  science  and  paint- 
ing, Graceanna  Lewis19  of  "Sunnyside,"  Kimberton; 
under  the  date  of  July  I2th,  1868,  published  the 
first  part  of  a  scientific  treatise  presented  in  popular 
form ;  said  to  contain  a  number  of  original  obser- 
vations, especially  on  eggs  and  four  text  figures  rep- 
resenting diagramatically  the  evolution  and  classi- 
fication of  birds,  of  which  a  considerably  modified 
system  was  proposed.  This  extremely  rare  paper  is 
dedicated  to  Prof  Cassin.  Apparently  the  pub- 
lishers did  not  meet  with  sufficient  encouragement 
to  warrant  a  continuation  of  the  parts.  I  have  not 
seen  it  and  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Richmond  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution  for  a  copy  of  the  title20  and 
a  resume  of  the  contents. 

Sara  Louisa  Oberholtzer,21  poetess  and  a  student 
of  birds,  studied  under  Miss  Lewis,  perhaps. 

The  first  county  list  was  published  in  1861  by 
Vincent  Barnard22  of  London  Grove,  naturalist, 
artisian  and  universal  genius;  from  observations 
probably  begun  about  1850.  This  list  of  191 
species,  similar  to  most  all  early  faunal  lists,  con- 
tains very  brief  annotations,  but  appears  to  have 
few  errors  in  species.  "Grus  americanus  Ord" 
doubtless  is  a  misidentification  of  the  Grus  specimen 
secured  by  Michener.  The  Mississippi  Kite,  which 
is  understood  to  have  been  based  upon  a  view  of  an 


1 8          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

individual  flying  over  on  Oct.  20,  1852 ;  is  also  prob- 
ably erroneous,  since  the  date  is  well  within  the 
period  when  the  Marsh  Hawk  frequents  the  county, 
and  as  the  author  does  not  include  the  latter  species 
in  his  list,  it  is  possible  that  he  may  have  mistaken 
it  in  the  gray  plumage  of  the  male.  Michener's 
Warbler  appears  to  have  been  an  immature  Con- 
necticut Warbler,  though  there  may  be  a  reasonable 
doubt  since  the  type  taken  by  Michener  in  Chester 
county  in  the  autumn  of  1839,  cannot  be  found. 
Barnard's  collection  was  purchased  by  the  Swarth- 
more  College. 

Dr.  Ezra  Michener"3  of  "Sylvania,"  Avondale, 
practitioner,  poet  and  naturalist;  was  one  of  the 
earliest  of  our  local  ornithologists,  though  he  did 
not  publish  his  first  list  until  two  years  after  Bar- 
nard. The  material,  however,  he  informs  us  later, 
was  collected  mostly  between  the  years  of  1834  and 
1840.  He  omits  the  water  birds  for  want  of  space, 
and  one  species,  the  Red-winged  Blackbird,  doubt- 
less unintentionally.  The  list  of  186  species  is  freely 
annotated  and  while  it  contains  some  mistakes,  rep- 
resents by  far  the  best  efforts  of  the  author.  Red- 
cockaded  Woodpecker  and  Gray-cheeked  Thrush  are 
probable  errors  since  they  do  not  appear  in  his  later 
list;  while  the  Black  Hawk,  Mottled  Owl,  Mich- 
ener's Warbler  and  Wood  Wren  appear  identical 
with  well  known  species,  as  he  suspects. 

Dr.  Michener  made  the  following  quaint  record 
on  comparison  of  his  own  and  Barnard's  lists:  "29th 
of  ist  mo.,  1861. — There  have  been  discovered  in 
the  County,  to  this  time  Two  Hundred  Species;  and 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  19 

there  are  forty-five  which  may  yet  be  discovered." 

Professional  taxidermists  in  the  past  have  found 
here  a  good  field  for  collecting.  C.  D.  Wood24  of 
Philadelphia,  secured  at  Coatesville,  Townsend's 
Warbler,  the  sole  Eastern  record.  Harry  Garrett25 
collected  about  his  home  in  Willistown  township 
for  many  years  and  his  collection  was  purchased 
by  the  Swarthmore  College ;  later  he  moved  to  West 
Chester  and  probably  helped  Josiah  Hoopes26  form 
his  splendid  collection  of  North  American  land  birds, 
now  in  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

Thomas  H(oopes)  Jackson  of  West  Chester, 
penned  the  first  authentic  description  of  the  nidifica- 
tion  of  the  Worm-eating  Warbler  in  1869,  and  he 
has  long  been  the  leading  authority  on  our  breeding 
Raptores  and  Wood  Warblers.  Among  the  oological 
collectors  of  this  period  or  earlier  were  E.  J.  Dar- 
lington,27 Dr.  W(illiam)  L(ivingston)  Hartman 
and  J.  Hoopes  Matlack,28  all  of  West  Chester;  also 
B.  A.  Hoopes,29  of  Philadelphia  and  Downingtown, 
an  ornithologist  better  known  as  the  original  de- 
scriber  of  Krider's  Hawk,  named  in  honor  of  the 
Philadelphia  taxidermist30  so  well  known  in  Chester 
county. 

Samuel  N(icholson)  Rhoads  wrote  from  the 
Westtown  School  and  C(harles)  F(rederic)  P  (hil- 
lips)  in  1876,  published  notes  on  21  species  found 
near  Kennett  Square;  mostly  breeding  records  of 
more  or  less  importance  at  that  date.  Dr.  B(enja- 
min)  Harry  Warren  of  West  Chester,  published  a 
complete  list  of  218  species  in  1879-1880.  Weeding 


2O          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

out  all  synonyms  with  the  exception  of  Michener's 
Warbler,  he  includes  the  species  given  by  Barnard 
and  Michener;  rejecting  only  the  Gray-cheeked 
Thrush,  and  perhaps  unconsciously,  the  Pine  Warb- 
ler; 29  species  only  rest  solely  upon  the  authority 
of  his  predecessors,  of  which  3  seem  undoubtedly 
erroneous  as  I  have  already  shown.  He  has  added 
12  new  species  to  the  county,  most  of  them  with 
more  or  less  circumstantial  annotations;  the  most 
important  being  Leach's  Petrel,  the  only  record  for 
the  State ;  including,  however,  the  White  Gyrf  alcon, 
which  is  not  recognized  in  his  later  publications; 
likewise  the  Migratory  Quail,  which  failed  to  be- 
come established.  Dr.  Warren's  continued  activity 
resulted  in  several  subsequent  additions,  the  most 
notable  being  Audubon's  Warbler,  the  second  East- 
ern record  for  this  species. 

Dr.  Michener's  second  paper  appeared  in  1881, 
long  after  he  had  transferred  his  attention  to  other 
branches  of  natural  history.  This  is  a  formal  list 
of  names  compiled  from  Barnard,  Warren,  his  own 
earlier  list,  manuscript  of  Harry  Garrett  and  a  few 
undesignated  species  he  thought  ought  to  be  found  in 
the  county;  the  few  annotations  being  in  the  form 
of  footnotes.  Since  he  remarks  that  "the  number 
of  species  which  have  actually  been  found  in  our 
county  is  about  220,"  and  has  actually  recorded  no 
less  than  232  species  including  two  synonyms;  all 
species  without  satisfactory  annotations  and  without 
record  elsewhere  up  to  this  time,  must  be  considered 
hypothetical;  they  are  the  Red-breasted  Merganser, 
Baldpate,  Green-winged  Teal,  Pintail,  Canvas-back, 


EZRA    MICHENER,    M.   D. 


CHARLES    J.    PENNOCK 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  21 

Scaup  Duck,  Ring-necked  Duck,  American  Golden- 
eye,  Old-squaw,  Whistling  Swan,  Least  Bittern, 
Yellow  Rail,  Northern  Phalarope,  Dowitcher,  Pec- 
toral Sandpiper,  Dunlin  and  Long-billed  Curlew. 
The  White-winged  Crossbill  has  apparently  been 
omitted  inadvertantly.  Michener  is  responsible  for 
the  sole  State  records  of  the  Greater  Shearwater  and 
Sandhill  Crane.  His  collection  was  deposited  with 
Swarthmore  College  and  with  those  of  Barnard  and 
Garrett,  destroyed  by  fire. 

About  this  time  or  somewhat  later,  Samuel  B  (ragg) 
Ladd,  Willard  L(orraine)  Maris,  Joseph  Parker 
Norris,  Jr.,  S(amuel)  Edward  Paschall,  G.  W.  Rob- 
erts,31 Robert  P(ennell)  Sharpies  and  Edward 
Swayne,  collected  and  reported  from  about  West 
Chester;  M.  P.  Barnard,32  Asher  Palmer  and  Wil- 
liam M(arshall)  Swayne,  Jr.,  Kennett  Square;  Al- 
fred P.  Lee,  Oxford ;  Harry  Wilson  and  George  C. 
Maule,  Gum  Tree;  William  B(arnard)  Coates, 
Parkesburg;  Hugh  E(xton)  Stone  and  Witmer 
Stone,  Coatesville;  Albian  Garrett  and  W.  S.  Hall,33 
Willistown ;  Robert,  Harry  and  William  S.  Everett, 
Green  Tree;  A(nthony)  Wayne  Baugh,  Paoli;  F.  L. 
Burns,  Grant  Groff  and  Dr.  W.  E.  Rotzell,34  Ber- 
wyn,  and  Dr.  William  E.  Hughes,  Phoenixville ;  a 
number  being  keen  oologists.  A  great  deal  of  the 
data  and  specimens  from  which  J.  Parker  Norris, 
Sr.,35  compiled  his  interesting  description  of  series 
of  sets  of  eggs  are  of  Chester  county  origin. 

Dr.  Warren's  second  list,  including  only  those  he 
personally  found  breeding,  is  dated  Aug.  27  (adden- 
dum, Sept.  8),  1885,  and  totals  80  species.  The 


22          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

material  to  a  large  extent  was  obtained  in  the  town- 
ships of  Willistown,  Pocopson,  Newlin,  and  those 
bordering  West  Chester.  With  the  assistance  of 
his  friend,  Benj.  M.  Everhart,  he  compiled  a  num- 
ber of  interesting  local  names.  As  the  list  was 
prepared  for  a  newspaper,  the  technical  names  were 
omitted,  though  the  species  are  checked  with  num- 
bers to  correspond  to  those  used  by  Ridgway  in  his 
Nomenclature  of  1881,  for  the  benefit  of  scientific 
contemporaries. 

C.  J.  Pennock30  of  Kcnnett  Square,  in  March, 
1886,  published  his  original  list,  which  apparently 
had  a  very  limited  circulation  among  ornithologists 
and  is  now  quite  scarce.  This  paper  is  compiled 
from  the  writer's  own  observations  and  the  published 
lists  of  his  predecessors,  and  adds  one  new  species 
to  the  county:  the  Wood  Ibis,  taken  by  his  uncle, 
Vincent  Barnard.  In  common  with  Michener,  Pen- 
nock  appears  especially  concerned  in  the  economic 
value  of  the  bird  as  revealed  by  its  food  habits,  and 
his  oological  inclination  given  expression  in  brief 
notes  on  nidification.  The  list,  though  meritorious, 
exhibits  every  evidence  of  haste  and  is  unequal  to 
the  high  standard  of  his  later  papers.  He  has  in- 
cluded Michener's  hypothetical  species,37  the  ques- 
tionable Mississippi  Kite,  White  Gyrfalcon  and  Red- 
cockaded  Woodpecker,  of  which  there  appears  no 
satisfactory  record ;  as  well  as  several  other  species 
without  indicating  that  they  had  long  since  become 
locally  extinct;  on  the  other  hand  the  Black-throat- 
ed Green  Warbler  has  doubtless  been  omitted  unin- 
tentionally. The  list  embraces  236  species,  of  which 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  23 

215  species  appear  authentic.  A  revised  edition  with 
new  notes  and  observations  on  the  nidification  of 
some  half  a  dozen  species,  bringing  it  up  to  Decem- 
ber ist,  1886;  appeared  early  in  the  following  year. 
At  the  suggestion  of  the  author,  the  publisher  at- 
tempted a  rearrangement  of  the  common  and  scien- 
tific names  to  correspond  with  those  recently  adopted 
by  the  American  Ornithologists'  Union.  The  result 
was  not  altogether  satisfactory ;  for  instance :  Mareca 
americana  American  Widgeon  appeared  as  "Anas 
penelope  Widgeon,"  Sandhill  Crane  became  "Lit- 
tle Brown  Crane,"  Spiza  townsendi  Townsend's 
Bunting  was  interpreted  as  "Passerella  iliaca  una- 
laschcensis  Townsend's  Sparrow,"  and  Yellow  Palm 
Warbler  appeared  as  "Palm  Warbler." 

Cyrus  B.  Ressel's  list  of  199  species  was  published 
in  1889  and  superficially  bears  the  stamp  of  an  exper- 
ienced ornithological  writer.  Most  of  the  observa- 
tions appear  to  have  been  made  in  the  vicinity  of 
Ercildoun,  in  the  western  part  of  the  county,  and 
much  of  the  data  is  from  the  collection  of  William 
D.  Doan  of  Coatesville.  It  is  regrettable  that  the 
ostensible  author  offered  some  extraordinary  records 
of  the  recent  occurrence  of  the  following  species: 
Red-breasted  Merganser,  European  Widgeon, 
Green-winged  Teal,  Pintail,  Redhead,  Scaup, 
Whistling  Swan,  Snowy  Egrit,  Golden  Eagle, 
Hawk  Owl,  Red-shafted  Flicker,  Yellow-headed 
Blackbird,  Dickcissel.  Blue  Grosbeak,  Bohemian 
Waxwing,  Prothonotary,  Cerulean  and  Yellow- 
throated  Warblers;  none  of  which  can  be  accepted 
without  satisfactory  verification.  There  also  appear 


24          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

a  large  number  of  unusual  and  several  manifestly 
impossible  breeding  records,  including  the  American 
Bittern,  Great  Blue  Heron,  Red-shouldered  Hawk> 
Barred  Owl,  Yellow-bellied  Flycatcher,  Least  Fly- 
catcher, Lincoln's  Sparrow,  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak, 
Tree  Swallow,  Golden-winged,  Nashville,  Parula, 
Blackburnian,  Pine  and  Hooded  Warblers,  Water- 
thrush,  Redstart,  Chickadee,  Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher 
and  Wilson's  Thrush ;  according  to  competent  crit- 
ics, a  most  questionable  list,  especially  so  many  rari- 
ties to  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  a  novice.  Some  years 
later,  I  published  some  of  the  manuscript  notes  fur- 
nished me  by  Wm.  D.  Doan,  including  disagree- 
ments in  dates  and  localities  or  disavowal  in  toto  of 
many  of  the  more  important  records  given  in  Res- 
sel's  list;  also  my  final  decision  to  reject  all  of  this 
unsatisfactory  matter,  especially  as  the  Doan  collec- 
tion is  no  longer  extant.  It  is  refreshing  to  turn  to 
the  work  of  Dr.  Thos.  H.  Montgomery,38  Profes- 
sor of  Zoology  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania; 
issued  in  1897.  It  is  one  of  our  best  local  lists, 
avoiding  the  larger  and  rather  misleading  title  so 
often  given  to  personal  and  neighborhood  lists.  The 
periods  of  observation  were  from  1885  until  1891, 
and  again  renewed  in  1895.  The  greater  part  of  the 
collecting  was  limited  to  a  five  mile  radius  of  West 
Chester,  i.  e.  the  higher  ground  of  West  White- 
land,  East  and  West  Goshen  townships,  and  along 
the  Brandywine  in  East  Bradford  township.  All 
the  species  listed  were  shot  and  identified  by  the 
author,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  taken  by  col- 
lecting friends,  and  no  species  included  unless  the 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  2$ 

author  had  seen  it  in  the  flesh.  Dr.  Montgomery 
added  two  new  species  to  the  county:  the  Semipal- 
mated  Plover  and  Migrant  Shrike,  and  also  included 
some  other  very  interesting  records.  His  specimens 
are  deposited  in  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natur- 
al Sciences. 

Recently,  Chreswell  J(ohn)  Hunt  has  written 
something  of  the  birds  about  Cupola,  and  he  is  our 
sole  informant  from  the  Honeybrook  and  Welsh 
mountain  region. 

With  the  new  century  came  the  era  of  the  aesthe- 
tics, for  the  most  part  non-collecting  ornithologists. 
Some  of  the  observers  may  be  recorded  here :  Caspar 
G(reen)  Burn,  Oxford;  C(harles)  Aubrey  Thomas, 
Kennett  Square;  Willima  B(acon)  Evans,  George 
H(ervey)  Hallett,  Jr.,  Charles  W(arner)  Palmer 
and  Edith  Smedley,  Westtown;  Mrs.  Hugh  P. 
Brinton,  John  D(arlington)  Carter,  Sarah  C(ole) 
DeHaven,  Dr.  Clyde  E(rnst)  Ehinger,  George 
Forsythe,  Isaac  G(arrett)  Roberts,  William  E(ly) 
Roberts,  Dr.  S(amuel)  C(hristian)  Schmucker  and 
Francis  Windle,39  West  Chester;  William  Carter, 
Lenape  and  Mendenhall;  Dr.  Howard  Y(arnall) 
Pennell,  Downingtown;  Guy  L(ivingston)  Eadie 
and  John  B(oyd)  Gill,  Berwyn;  Mildred  Cornelius 
and  Henry  Justice,  Devon;  and  Edwin  B(unting) 
Bartram,  Frazer  and  Strafford.  In  addition  to  the 
above,  William  L(loyd)  Baily,  and,  occasionally 
recorded  from  Paoli;  Dr.  Spencer  Trotter  from 
Cheyney,  and  a  small  coterie  from  Wayne,  Dela- 
ware county;  Leonard  S(now)  Pierson,  Alfred 
C(larence)  Redfield  and  Charles  H(enry)  Rogers, 


26          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

accomplished  good  work  in  the  vicinity  of  Berwyn. 
In  1901,  the  writer  of  this  sketch  published  a  sec- 
tional bird  census,  taken  at  Berwyn.  This  was  the 
first  List  from  the  eastern  border  and  embraced  only 
the  breeding  birds ;  it  was  followed  by  a  similar  one 
in  1915,  showing  the  slight  changes  in  the  number 
of  individuals  in  the  same  area  over  a  period  of  years. 

In  consideration  of  the  popular  character  of  the 
foregoing  and  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  I  have,  where 
ever  possible,  used  the  common  English  "book" 
names  of  the  species  in  preference  to  the  scientific 
or  technical  terms  usually  employed.  In  many  in- 
stances these  names  have  been  in  use  for  a  long  time 
in  this  section;  also,  not  being  subject  to  the  laws  of 
priority,  they  are  less  liable  to  change,  and  all  are 
perfectly  intelligible  to  the  average  English-speaking 
ornithologist.  Many  of  the  names  have  the  addi- 
tional merit  of  perpetuating  the  vernacular  of  our 
Colonial  forefathers,  to  whom  the  appellation  con- 
veyed some  real  or  fancied  characteristic  of  the 
species,  and  they  are  altogether  most  expressive  both 
in  prose  and  poetry. 

The  ornithological  literature  of  the  county  is 
large,  I  regret  that  it  is  not  feasible  to  include  a 
complete  bibliography;  but  reference  to  the  more 
important  contributions  appear  in  the  annotated 
catalogue  of  species.  I  am  indebted  tcr  the  follow- 
ing persons  for  biographical  notes  or  portraits:  W. 
L.  Baily,  Gilbert  Cope,  Ruthven  Deane,  Watson  W. 
Dewees,  Wm.  B.  Evans,  J.  Comly  Hall,  Prof.  J. 
W.  Harshberger,  Rev.  W.  H.  Hazard,  Mrs.  Ber- 
nard A.  Hoopes,  J.  P.  Norris,  Jr.,  Chas.  W.  Palmer, 


Physical  Features  and  Habitats  27 


Mrs.  C.  J.  Pennock,  Miss  Josephine  Pennock,  C. 

B.  Ressel,  Dr.  C.  W.  Richmond,  Alfred  D.  Sharp- 
ies, Robert  P.  Sharpies,  Jefferson  Shaner,  Dr.  Wit- 
mer  Stone,  Wm.  M.  Swayne,  Jr.,  Dr.  B.  H.  War- 
ren, Ezra  Webster  and  M.  B.  Worth;  for  ornith- 
ological notes  and  comments:  Mrs.  H.  P.  Brinton, 

C.  G.  Burn,  J.  D.  Carter,  Miss  Sarah  C.  DeHaven, 
J.  B.  Gill,  Dr.  W.  L.  Hartman,  C.  J.  Hunt,  Thos. 
H.  Jackson,  A.  C.  Redfield,  Isaac  G.  Roberts,  Robt. 
P.  Sharpies,  Dr.  Witmer  Stone,  C.  A.  Thomas,  Dr. 
B.  H.  Warren,  Harry  Wilson  and  others. 

My  own  observations  began  in  the  summer  of 
1 884,  have  continued  without  a  break  of  more  than  a 
few  months  at  a  time,  up  to  the  present,  and  extends 
over  the  eastern  and  northeastern  parts  of  the  county, 
with  short  visits  to  the  south-central  and  extreme 
west.  My  migration  records  began  in  the  spring  of 
1 885  with  a  few  common  migrants,  have  now  reach- 
ed the  thirty-third  year,  and  I  am  informed  that  it  is 
the  only  continuous  record  for  this  period  in  Eastern 
Pennsylvania.  However,  sometimes  during  the  most 
critical  time  of  bird  migration,  the  period  of 
my  observation  may  have  been  limited  to  the  brief 
time  of  going  to  and  returning  from  my  work.  I 
have  therefore  reserved  the  right  to  eliminate  a  few 
of  my  records  which  according  to  my  judgment  are 
not  representative  of  the  true  period  of  arrival  or 
departure;  and  it  was  probably  with  this  in  mind 
that  prompted  the  late  Prof.  W.  W.  Cooke  to  write 
me  a  short  time  before  his  death,  urging  the  publica- 
tion of  my  averages  and  extreme  dates.  Also  the 
long-term  averages  taken  independently  so  near 


28          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Philadelphia,  may  prove  interesting  in  comparison 
with  the  valuable  combination  averages  by  Dr.  Stone 
for  the  Delaware  Valley  Ornithological  Club. 

I  have  been  at  some  disadvantage  in  working 
alone,  especially  when  unable  to  make  frequent  visits 
to  the  habitats  of  extremely  local  species,  but  on 
the  other  hand  the  percentage  of  error  may  possibly 
be  less  than  where  several  observers  of  less  experi- 
ence work  a  neighborhood.  My  experience  in  horizon 
and  census  work  has  taught  me  something  of  com- 
parative abundance  and  I  believe  my  averages  for 
bulk  arrival  and  departure  to  be  of  greater  value  and 
more  nearly  correct  than  the  averages  of  first  arrival 
and  last  seen ;  especially  taking  in  consideration  the 
utter  impossibility  of  always  distinguishing  the  bona 
fide  first  arrival  from  the  occasional  holdover. 

Migration  at  Berwyn  is  seldom  as  well  marked  as 
in  many  other  sections  of  the  county;  especially  the 
vernal  flight,  when  many  of  the  smaller  local  land 
birds  appear  tardily  via  the  Darby  creek,  and  others 
pass  in  a  northeasterly  direction.  The  visible  au- 
tumnal movement  is  more  direct  and  attended  with 
greater  numbers;  the  usual  route  southwesterly,  the 
day  fliers :  Killdeer,  Dove,  Hawks,  Blue  Jay,  Grack- 
les,  Blackbirds,  Swallows  and  Robin;  the  Canada 
Goose  and  Nighthawk,  by  day  or  night,  and  the 
Sandpiper  by  night.  It  is  only  occasional  that  a 
great  movement  is  detected  in  the  nightfliers,  like 
that  of  September  24th,  1916,  when  the  sky  was 
partly  overcast,  the  clouds  thin  and  low,  with  mod- 
erate west  wind ;  the  air  appeared  alive  with  whis- 
pering voices  of  the  small  migrants  at  no  great 
height,  from  dusk  to  late  at  night. 


PART  II 

ANNOTATED  LIST 

1.  Colymbus   holbcelli   Holbcell's    Grebe.      Rare 
winter  visitant,  apparently  included  by  Barnard  and 
Pennock  upon  personal  observation.     I  have  record 
of  a  flock  of  six  observed  on  Valley  Forge  dam,  Feb. 
10,  1903,  and  there  are  two  recent  records  at  Ken- 
nett  Square,  Feb.  9,  1904,  and  Feb.  15,  1912,  the 
last  a  capture  (Pennock,  Cassinia,  viii,  54;  xvi,  44). 

2.  Colymbus  auritus  Horned  Grebe.    Rather  rare 
transient  visitant,  though  listed  by  all  but  Mont- 
gomery.    Mar.  29-Apr.  20.     I  have  a  female  (No. 
580,  coll.  F.  L.  B.)  found  dead  under  the  telegraph 
wires  at  Paoli,  Apr.  20,  1896  (Wilson  Bulletin,  No. 
8,  6).    The  additional  records  that  have  come  to  my 
notice  are:    Westtown,  Mar.  29,   1911,  by  G.  H. 
Hallett,  and  Apr.  5,  1913,  by  Emily  M.  Webster; 
Kennett  Square,  Apr.  16,  1914,  by  C.  A.  Thomas 
(Cass.,  xv,  53;  xvii,  40;  xviii,  50).     There  are  no 
spring  dates. 

3.  Podilymbus  podiceps  Pied-billed  Grebe,  "dab- 
chick,"  "dipper,"  "hell  diver,"  "little  diver."     Not 
very   common   transient,   most   frequent   in   spring. 
Apr.  7  (1911) -May  2  (1915)  ;  Ave.  4  years,  Apr. 
12.    Two  fall  records  are  available  both  at  Berwyn, 
Sept.  25,  1902,  and  Aug.  27,  1913.     In  Highland 
Twp.  it  is  sometimes  found  in  winter.     A  living 
specimen  was  taken  from  a  flock  of  five  or  six  on 
Buck  run,  in  December,  1902  (Wilson  MS.). 

29 


3O          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

4.  Gavia  imrner  fxjon,  "big  diver,"  "great  north- 
ern diver."     Not  common  transient  visitant,  though 
it  appears  on  all  our  county  lists.    Migration  dates : 
Apr.  26   (191 5) -May  30   (1909)   and  again  Nov. 
14  (1908) -Nov.  25   (1909).     A  flock  appeared  in 
the  Chester  valley  on  Nov.  14,  1908,  during  a  N. 

E.  snowstorm,  and  a  pair  secured  from  a  small  dam 
on  the  Chesterbrook  farm  (Nos.  934  and  935,  coll. 

F.  L.  B.)  ;    another  female  lingered  on  a  pond  a 
mile  further  up  the  Valley  creek  until  Dec.  10,  when 
it  was  found  dead  and  in  an  emaciated  condition 
(Burns,  Wils.  Bull.,  65,  215,  and  66,  18).     Under 
similiar  circumstances  another  catastrophe  occurred 
Nov.  25,  1909;   two  birds  were  shot  at  Paoli,  two 
at  Lenape  and  one  seen  on  a  pond  near  Westtown 
(Redfield,  Ibid.,  70,  56). 

5.  Gavia  stellata  Red- throated   Loon.  Straggler. 
A  female  (No.  988,  coll.  F.  L.  B.)  shot  on  Trotter's 
dam,   near   Berwyn,    Nov.    15,    1911;    is   the   sole 
county  record  (Burns,  Auk,  xxxii,  1915,  225). 

6.  Larus  argentatus  Herring  Gull,  "gull,"  "sea- 
bird."     Rare  transient  and   winter  visitant.     The 
following  are  all  the  records  known  to  me :   Central 
Chester  Co.,  five  noticed  flying  high  overhead,  even- 
ing of  May  n,  1890  (Stcne,  Birds  E.  Pa.  and  N. 
J.,  43)  ;  Berwyn,  flock  of  sixteen  going  west  at  noon, 
Feb.  19,  1902,  and  Valley  Forge,  a  single  one  on  the 
Schuylkill,  Jan.  6,   1903   (Burns  MS.)  ;    and  Ber- 
wyn, two  on  Apr.  I,  1908  (Redfield,  Cass.  xii,  53). 

7.  Larus  delawiircnsis  Ring-billed  Gull.     During 
a  severe  storm  from  the  west,  Mar.  28,  1911,  a  crip- 
pled straggler  was  captured  on  Greystone  farm,  East 


B.    HARRY    WARREN,    M.    D. 


THOMAS    H.    JACKSON 


Annotated  List  31 


Goshen  Twp.    The  skin  was  mounted  and  placed  in 
Greystone  hall   (Sharpies  MS.). 

8.  Larus  Philadelphia  Bonaparte's  Gull.     Strag- 
gler.    Barnard  lists  it  as  very  rare,  and  Warren 
states  that  two  or  three  specimens  have  been  taken 
along  the  Brandy  wine. 

9.  Gelochelidon  nilotica  Gull-billed  Tern.   Strag- 
gler.    H.  B.  Graves  killed  a  specimen  in  autumn 
(Warren,  Birds  Pa.,  231). 

10.  Sterna  caspia  Caspian  Tern.     Straggler.     A 
male  and  female  blown  inland  by  three  days  of  storm 
,\rere  shot  Sept.  28,   1912,  at  Lenape  park  on  the 
Brandywine,  near  West  Chester,  and  are  now  in 
the  possession  of  Lewis  Darlington  (Sharpies,  Auk, 
xxx,    1913,    105). 

11.  Sterna  hirundo   Common  Tern.     Straggler. 
According  to  Dr.  Warren,  C.  D.  Wood  has  pre- 
pared specimens  taken  in  the  county,  and  that  it  has 
been  captured  while  migrating  in  autumn.     I  may 
also  state  that  Dr.  Montgomery  saw  an  individual 
of  a  small  species  of  this  genus  (perhaps  S.  hirundo) 
shot  on  the  Brandywine  near  Lenape,  in  the  late 
summer  of  1887,  but  owing  to  the  rapid  decomposi- 
tion of  the  specimen,  he  was  unable  to  fully  identify 
the  species. 

12  Sterna  antillarum  Least  Tern.  Straggler.  Dr. 
Warren  states  that  he  has  seen  it  taken  during  the 
past  ten  years,  in  August  and  September  (Bds.  Pa., 
1890,  22). 

13.  Sterna  fuscata  Sooty  Tern.  Straggler.  Bar- 
nard records  it  as  very  rare  and  it  is  presumed  that 
he  made  a  capture.  In  the  spring  of  1878,  a  speci- 


32          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

men  found  dead  in  a  field,  was  presented  to  Dr. 
Warren;  and  this,  with  a  later  capture,  remain  in 
his  collection. 

14.  Hydrochelidon     nigra     surinamensis     Black 
Tern.     Straggler.     Two  specimens,  male  and  fe- 
male, were  taken  by  Titus  Bennett,  of  West  Ches- 
ter, in  the  fall  previous  to  1879;  and  this  pair,  with 
another  collected  in  the  spring;  are  in  the  collec- 
tion of  Dr.  Warren.     Another  was  killed  in  the 
fall  two  or  three  years  ago  (Warren  MS.). 

15.  Puffinus  gravis  Greater  Shearwater.     Strag- 
gler.    This  powerful  bird,  despite  its  strength  and 
endurance  of  wing,  was  storm-stranded  within  our 
borders  and  perished  during  a  severe  storm  of  wind, 
rain  and  sleet  (Michener,  Hist.  Chester  Co.,  Pa., 
1 88 1,  445).    Sole  State  record. 

1 6.  Oceanodroma  leucorhoa  Leach's  Petrel.  Strag- 
gler.   A  specimen  was  presented  to  Dr.  Warren  in 
September,  1879,  by  the  late  Dr.  George  Martin  of 
West  Chester,  who  had  found  it  in  his  yard  in  an 
exhausted  and  dying  condition  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  27). 
Sole  State  record. 

17.  Mergus  americanus  Merganser,  "fish  duck," 
"sawbill."      Rare   winter   visitant   and   occurs   oc- 
casionally as  a  transient.    Listed  by  Barnard,  War- 
ren,   Michener   and    Pennock.      A    flock   of   seven 
attempted  to  winter,  1910-1911,  at  the  Valley  Forge 
dam;  but  were  reduced  to  three  by  Jan.   12,  and 
a  dead  and  water  soaked  female  was  found  Jan.  15 
(No.  982,  coll.  F.  L.  B.).     It  is  also  recorded  by 
Mrs.  H.  P.  Brinton,  West  Chester,  Mar.  18,  1914 
(Cass.,  xviii,  51). 


Annotated  List  33 


1 8.  Laphodytes   cucullatus    Hooded    Merganser, 
"fish  duck,"  "hairyhead,"  "sawbill."     In  Barnard's 
time  this  species  was  found  frequently,  but  it  is  now 
a  rather  rare  transient,  or  possibly  winter  visitant. 
Dr.  Warren  has  the  following  records:  Nov.  23, 
1881;  Apr.  3,   1884;  Mar.  26,    1887;  June  23, 
1890  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  35).    Three  specimens  were 
shot  at  Cupola,  Dec.  12,  1913,  and  two  brought  to 
me  but  I  failed  to  preserve  them. 

19.  Anas   platyrhynchos    Mallard,    "greenhead," 
"wild  duck."     A  not  common  transient,  but  has 
recently  been  successfully  introduced  in  the  Chester 
valley  as  a  resident.     In  Audubon's  time  it  bred  in 
the  beautiful  meadows  that  here  and  there  border 
the  Schuylkill   (Orn.  Biog.).     Dr.  Warren  states 
that  it  has  been  taken  by  H.  B.  Graves,  and  Pen- 
nock  considered  it  as  not  very  common.     In  the 
vicinity  of  Berwyn,  in  Chester  valley;  three  were 
seen  Apr.  13-15,  1900,  and  about  100  in  flocks,  Mar. 
I,  1902.     This  species  was  introduced  on  the  East 
Valley  creek  seven  or  eight  years  ago  by  Richard 
Houghton;  the  eggs  coming  from  Chincoteage  is- 
land, Md.,  and  now  breeds  freely  for  miles  up  and 
down  the  creek,  in  April  and  May. 

20.  Anas  rubripes  tristis  Black  Duck,  "black  mal- 
lard," "dusky  duck,"  "wild  duck."     Not  common 
transient  and  rare  resident.    It  is  listed  by  Barnard, 
Michener,  Warren  and  Pennock.     A  flock  of  six 
was  seen  near  Berwyn,  in  the  Chester  valley,  Nov. 
14,  1893.    About  1907  there  were  reports  of  it  being 
found   resident  along  the  East  Valley  creek,   and 
in  the  spring  a  hybrid  family  of  five  was  raised  on  a 


34          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

little  island  in  a  millpond.  A  year  or  two  later,  the 
species  was  introduced  on  an  adjacent  farm,  but 
were  speedially  absorbed  by  the  Mallard.  It  has 
however,  been  recently  seen  during  the  breeding 
season  on  the  Schuylkill,  above  Valley  Forge. 

21.  Chanlelasmus  streperus  Gad  well.     Straggler. 
Kennett  Square,  Dec.  26,  1912,  an  individual  was 
flushed  from  a  millrace  and  positively  identified  at 
a  distance  of  ten  feet  by  C.  J.  Pennock  and  C.  A. 
Thomas  (Thomas  MS.,). 

22.  Mareca   americana    Baldpate.      An   example 
was  shot  on  the  Henry  T.  Coates  dam  at  Berwyn, 
about  June  20,  1889,  and  presented  to  J.  W.  Sharp. 
A  rare  straggler. 

23.  Querquedula  discors  Blue-winged  Teal.  Rare 
transient.     Dr.  Montgomery  shot  an  adult  and  saw 
another  on  the  Brandy  wine  near  Lenape,  Aug.  8, 
1889 ;  and  one  was  shot  on  Campbell's  dam,  Berwyn, 
Oct.  15,  1909,  by  N.  C.  Cass. 

24.  Spatula  clypeata  Shoveller.    Straggler.  Given 
by  Barnard,  Warren  and  Michener  as  rare.    I  have 
not  met  with  it. 

25.  Dafila  acuta  Pintail.    Straggler.    Included  on 
the  authority  of  T.  H.  Jackson,  who  has  a  distinct 
recollection  of  being  offered  a  freshly  killed  speci- 
men by  a  local  gunner,  who  had  shot   it  on  the 
Brandywine.    This  was  in  the  early  '905.    Michener 
includes  it  in  his  later  list  without  comment. 

26.  Aix  sponsa  Wood  Duck,  "acorn  duck,"  "sum- 
mer duck,"  "wild  duck."    Rare  summer  resident  and 
transient.   Formerly  frequent,  according  to  Barnard. 
Pennock  found  it  rather  common  on  migrations  and 


Annotated  List  35 


stated  that  two  broods  of  young  were  found  in  1886. 
A  pair  raised  a  brood  at  Strode's  mill  dam,  near 
West  Chester,  a  few  years  ago,  and  S.  B.  Ladd  had 
a  set  of  eggs  collected  for  him  on  the  West  branch 
of  the  Brandywine  some  years  since  (Sharpies  MS.). 
Wilson  writes  that  pairs  are  to  be  round  along  the 
unfrequented  portions  of  the  Octoraro  and  occasion- 
ally along  Buck  and  Doe  run.  He  mounted  a  speci- 
men Mar.  30,  1898,  shot  at  Glenville  dam,  W. 
Fallowfield  Twp.  In  the  vicinity  of  Berwyn,  a 
pair  nested  along  the  Valley  creek  and  three  of  the 
young  were  bagged  by  a  local  hunter,  Nov.  3,  1891 ; 
another  pair  frequented  a  dam  at  the  head  of  the 
Darby  creek  during  the  summers  of  1909-1910, 
doubtless  nesting  in  the  willows,  since  the  young 
were  seen,  and  some  of  the  birds  shot  in  the  fall. 
The  most  recent  capture  is  by  C.  A.  Thomas,  Ken- 
nett  Square,  Nov.  14,  1914  (Cass.,  xviii,  51). 

27.  Marila  americana  Redhead.   Straggler.   Some 
thirty  years   ago,   Warren  came  upon   a   flock  of 
thirteen  near  Deborah's  rock,  along  the  Brandywine, 
and  secured  two  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  42). 

28.  Marila  valisineria   Canvas-back.      Straggler. 
Stray  individuals,  probably  lost  from  flocks  migrat- 
ing in  October  and  November,  have  been  shot  by 
hunters  on  the  Octoraro,  Buck  run  and  the  west 
branch  of  the  Brandywine  (Wilson  MS.). 

29.  Marila  affinis  Lesser  Scaup,  "scaup,"  "little 
blackhead."    Transient.    Barnard  and  Warren  give 
it  as  rare,  while  Pennock  states  that  it  is  rather 
common  on  small  streams  and  ponds  in  small  flocks 
in  spring  and  fall.    We  have  but  one  recent  definite 


36          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

record;    West  Chester,  Apr.  5-6,   1914,  by  I.  G. 
Roberts  (Cass.,  xviii,  51). 

30.  Clangula    clangula    americana    Golden-eye. 
Straggler.    I  observed  a  flock  of  ten  at  Valley  Forge, 
Feb.  12,  1898. 

31.  Charitonetta    albcola     Buffle-head,     "butter- 
ball."     Transient  visitant.     Not  common,  accord- 
ing to  Barnard  and  Warren;  while  Pennock  states 
that  it  is  frequently  met  with  when  migrating. 

32.  Erismatura  jamaicensis  Ruddy  Duck.  Uncom- 
mon transient.    Barnard  considered  this  species  rare 
and  Warren  frequent.    Pennock  states  that  he  knew 
of  several  instances  of  its  capture,  and  Montgomery 
shot  an  adult  female,  Mar.   15,   1890,  in  a  marsh 
near  Lenape,  along  the  Brandywine.     There  are 
three  later  records,  all  taken  at  Kennett  Square,  Apr. 
IO,   1906,  by  Pennock,  and  Apr.  30  and  Oct.  23, 
I9I5>  by  Thomas. 

33.  Branta  canadensis  canadensis  Canada  Goose, 
"wild  goose."    Common  transient,  seldom  coming  to 
earth  within  our  limits.    On  Nov.  25,  1895,  a  flock 
of  100  or  more  individuals  confused  in  a  fog,  came 
down  on  a  hill  north  of  Berwyn,  but  eventually  split 
into  three  sections  and  later  several  were  shot  on  the 
west  branch  of  the  Brandywine  (Wils.  Bull.,  No. 
7,  3).    On  Oct.  1 6,  1910,  a  flock  of  53  was  flushed 
from  the  Valley  Forge  dam  by  a  gunner  in  a  boat; 
one  bird  was  disabled  by  flying  against  the  guy  wire 
to  a  stack,  two  shot  two  or  three  miles  up  the  Val- 
ley creek,  and  the  survivors  spent  the  night  on  the 
meadows. 

Berwyn  migration  records: 


Annotated  List  37 


First  spring  Feb.  18  (1901) -Mar.  20  (1886). 
Ave.  10  yrs.  Mar.  u. 

Last  spring  Mar.  n  (1901) -Apr.  17  (1913)- 
Ave.  10  yrs.  Apr.  4. 

First  fall  Oct.  10  (1905) -Oct.  29  (1909).  Ave. 

7  yrs.    Oct.  22. 

Last  fall  Oct.  17  (i9io)-Dec.  15  (1891).  Ave. 
17  yrs.  Nov.  13. 

34.  Mycteria  americana  Wood  Ibis.    A  straggler 
from  the  south.    According  to  Tennock,  a  specimen 
was  taken  by  the  late  Vincent  Barnard  since  the 
publication  of  his  list  in  1861. 

35.  Botaurus  leuttgtnosus  Bittern,  "Indian  hen," 
"mud  hen."     Scarcely  common  as  a  transient,  Apr. 
u   (1880) -Apr.  26  (1880);   Aug.  3  (1887) -Dec. 

8  ( 1 889 )  ;  and  rare  as  a  summer  resident.     Mont- 
gomery closely  observed   one   in  May,    1895,   and 
Pennock    states    that    specimens   have     been    shot 
throughout  the  summer  months.     A  specimen  said 
to  have  been  taken  from  a  nest  and  three  eggs  among 
the  tussocks  of  Doe  run,  was  brought  in  to  be  mount- 
ed on  May  i,  1897  (Wilson  MS.). 

36.  Ixobrychus  exilis  Least  Bittern.     Rare  sum- 
mer resident.    Dr.  Warren  records  a  specimen  taken 
May  20,   1884   (Bds.  Pa.,   19),  and  W.  L.  Baily 
observed  one  at  Paoli,  May  n,  1914  (Cass.,  xviii, 
52).    The  only  breeding  record  is  by  L.  S.  Pierson 
and  A.  C.  Redfield,  June   12,   1909;    a  nest  and 
four  eggs  in  a  cat-tail  swamp  at  the  head  of  Darby 
creek,  near  Berwyn  (Auk,  xxvi,  426),  and  I  had  the 
pleasure  in  verifying  the  record  to  my  own  satis- 
faction the  next  day,  as  well  as  later  visits  to  observe 


38         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

the  young.  The  birds  were  last  seen  on  Aug.  3. 
No  search  was  made  on  the  following  year,  but  an 
adult  was  seen  July  3,  and  it  doubtless  was  breed- 
ing. 

37.  Ardea  herodias  herodias  Great  Blue  Heron, 
"big  kingfisher,"  "big  blue  crane,"  "big  crane,"  "big 
blue  shitepoke,"  "blue  crane,"  "brother  Jonathan," 
"crane,"  "fish  crane,"  "frog  eater,"  "giant  heron," 
"great  big  fly-up-the-creek."     An  irregularly  com- 
mon transient  and  an  occasional,  solitary,  non-breed- 
ing summer  resident.    Earliest  date  of  arrival,  Mar. 
31   (1900),  and  latest  date  of  departure,  Nov.  18 
(1912),  in  the  vicinity  of  Berwyn.     Montgomery 
noticed  a  pair  during  two  summers  in  East  Brad- 
ford Twp.    It  has  been  frequently  seen  along  Buck 
run   during   the    breeding   season,    and    may    have 
nested,  though  but  a  single  male  has  been  taken  in 
perfect  nuptial  plumage  (Wilson  MS.). 

38.  Herodias  egretta  Egret,  "white  crane."  Strag- 
gler from  the  south.     Barnard  states  that  it  is  sel- 
dom found.    Warren  notes  a  capture  in  July,  1881 
(Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  60).    One  was  reported  shot  out 
of  a  flock  of  seven,  near  Kennett  Square,  July  10, 
1902,  by  C.  J.  Pennock  (Cass.,  vi,  16),  and  a  male 
(No.  771,  coll.  F.  L.  B.)  was  taken  along  Darby 
creek  near  Berwyn,  July  26,  1902  (Wils.  Bull.,  40, 
109).     Another  was  observed  on  the  Brandywine, 
near  West  Chester,  for  two  weeks  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1911,  by  Mrs.  H.  P.  Brinton,  and  probably 
the  same  one  was  seen  near  Sugar's  bridge,  July  26, 
same  year,  by  Miss  S.  C.  DeHaven  (Cass.,  xvi,  45). 

39.  Egretta  candidissima  Snowy  Egret,  Straggler 


Annotated  List  39 


from  the  south.    Admitted  on  the  authority  of  War- 
ren and  Pennock. 

40.  Florida  carula  Little  Blue  Heron,  "egret," 
"little  white  crane,"  "white  crane."    Straggler  from 
the  south.     An  immature  female   (No.   728,  coll. 
F.  L.  B.)  taken  Aug.  4,  1901,  on  Crum  creek,  Paoli 
barrens;  appears  to  be  the  first  county  record  (Wils. 
Bull.,  36,  72).     During  the  late  summer  of  1902, 
there  appears  to  have  been  a  notable  influx  of  this 
species:  Red  Clay  creek,  near  Kennett  Square,  one 
was  shot  from  a  flock,  during  the  latter  part  of 
July,  and  examined  by  C.  J.  Pennock;  Brandywine 
creek,  near  Lenape,  one  was  seen  on  Aug.  3,  and 
two   afterward  shot,   according  to  J.   D.  Carter; 
Westtown,  one  seen  with  a  broken  leg  Aug.   13, 
three  seen  Aug.  14,  and  two  on  Aug.  15,  by  George 
Forsythe;    Cupola,    one   was    shot    on    the    upper 
Brandywine,  Aug.  28,  and  given  to  C.  J.  Hunt,  and 
W.  B.  Harvey  reported  it  at  West  Grove,  along  the 
White  Clay  creek.     All  specimens  appear  to  have 
been  in  the  white  phase  (Evans,  Cass.,  vi,  18-20). 
An  immature  female  was  brought  in  from  Buck 
run,  East  Fallowfield  Twp.,  in  July  to  be  mounted 
(Wilson  MS.). 

41.  Butorides  virescens  virescens  Green  Heron, 
"chalk-line,"      "fly-up-the-creek,"      "little     crane," 
"mudpoke,"  "poke,"  "shitepoke."     Locally  a  com- 
mon summer  resident.     Arrives  in  the  vicinity  of 
West  Grove,  Mar.  10  to  18  (Barnard) ;  West  Ches- 
ter, Mar.  27  to  Apr.  12   (Warren)  ;  and  Berwyn 
vicinity,  Apr.  9  to  May  9.    It  usually  departs  early 
in  September,   but   is  occasionally  seen  as  late  as 


40          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

October  10. 

42.  Nycticorax  nyticorax  nycticorax  Black-crown- 
ed Night  Heron,  "crane,"  "Indian  hen,"  "mudhen," 
"mudpoke,"  "night  heron,"  "qua-bird,"  "squawk." 
Common   summer    resident,    extremely    local    as   a 
breeder.     Barnard  considered  it  rare  in  his  neigh- 
borhood, and  Montgomery  never  met  with  it  in  the 
vicinity  of  West  Chester.     I  have  found  it  rather 
common   along   the   Octoraro   below   Atglen,    and 
Harry   Wilson   reports   it   probably    nesting   along 
Buck  run  in  East  Fallowfield  Twp.,  but  I  believe 
that  these  birds  are  all  from  the  Lancaster  county 
colonies.     There  is  a  large  herony  in  the  eastern 
part   of   the   Chester   valley,   in   Tredyffrin   Twp. 
(Burns,  Bird-Lore,  xix,  197).     Nidification  begins 
soon  after  arrival,  average  date  for  complete  set, 
May    10.     Thomas    notes   its   arrival   at    Kennett 
Square,  Apr.  12   (1908) — Apr.  22   (1915),  and  it 
doubtless  averages  several  days  earlier  at  its  breed- 
ing grounds  than  I  am  able  to  offer  for  Berwyn 
vicinity : 

Arrival — Apr.  15  (1917) — Apr.  30  (1906)  ;  ave. 
7  yrs.  Apr.  20. 

Departure — Oct.  6  (1911) — Nov.  6  (1893); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Oct.  23. 

43.  Nycticorax  violacens  Yellow-crowned  Night 
Heron.    Rare  summer  resident.    On  May  14,  1915, 
I    found    it   present   and   evidently   nesting   in   the 
local  colony  of  N.n.nycticorax.    An  individual,  prob- 
ably not  always  the  same  one;  was  observed  circling 
just  above  the  tree  tops  on  three  occasions,  and  I  had 
a  view  of  it  through  the  glass  while  it  perched  close 


Photo   by  A.   C.  Redfield 

BLACK-CROWNED    NIGHT    HERON    NEST    AND    EGGS 


Photo  by  T.  H.  Jackson 

NIGHTHAWK    EGGS    IN    SITU 


Annotated  List  41 


to  a  nest,  though  it  seemed  more  wary  than  the 
common,  lighter  species.  Unfortunately,  on  May 
28,  the  date  of  my  next  visit;  I  found  that  this 
outlying  part  of  the  herony  had  been  raided  by  the 
Crows  and  N.violacens  no  longer  present.  This  is 
the  first  record  for  Chester  county  and  the  third 
for  Pennsylvania,  all  of  which  come  from  the  lower 
Schuylkill  river  region.40 

44.  Grus  mexicanus  Sandhill  Crane.  Straggler. 
About  1 840,  a  flock  of  four  or  five  individuals  mov- 
ing northward,  occurred  along  the  west  branch  of 
the  White  Clay  creek;  one  was  shot  and  presented 
to  Dr.  Ezra  Michener,  who  preserved  and  kept  it 
in  his  collection  for  many  years;  later  it  came  into 
the  collection  of  the  Swarthmore  college,  where  it 
was  lost  when  the  building  was  burned.  At  the 
time  of  this  capture,  most  American  ornithologists 
recognized  with  certainty  but  a  single  species — Grus 
americanus  the  White  or  Whooping  Crane;  and 
Barnard  so  listed  it,  doubtless  with  the  full  approval 
of  his  friend  Michener.  The  latter  however  in  his 
complete  list  some  twenty  years  later,  gives  it  as 
"Grus  canadensis  Sandhill  Crane."  Michener's  re- 
marks convinces  one  of  his  comparison  and  elimina- 
tion of  G .americanus ,  and  since  he  followed  closely 
the  nomenclature  and  classification  of  Baird,  it  seems 
improbable  that  he  should  have  overlooked  the 
" G .fraterculus"  of  Cassin  which  refers  to  the  Little 
Brown  Crane  rather  than  G. canadensis  (Baird, 
Birds,  1858,  655)  which  in  this  instance  is  a 
synonym  of  G.mexicanus.  Dr.  Michener  appears 
to  have  been  an  accomplished  and  conscientious 


42          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

ornithologist,  and  this  record  should  have  its  proper 
place  on  the  State  lists.41 

45.  Rallus  elegans  King  Rail,    Rather  uncommon 
transient,   and    rare   summer    resident.     According 
to  Dr.  Stone  it  has  been  found  breeding  along  the 
Brandywine  at  Pocopson  (Bds.  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J., 
95).    An  adult  female  (No.  849,  coll.  F.  L.  B.) 
with  several  partly  developed  eggs  in  the  ovaries, 
taken  at  Fetter's  mill,  near  Howeltown,  May  4, 
1905;    would  probably  have  nested    (Wils.   Bull., 
58,  32).     Dr.  Warren  has  obtained  several  speci- 
mens, mostly  in  August  and  September  (Bds.  Pa., 
1 890,  68 ) ,  and  one  was  caught  by  a  cat  at  Kennett 
Square,  Apr.  14,  1906  (Pennock,  Cass.,  x,  48). 

46.  Rallus  virginianm  Virginia  Rail,  "rail  bird." 
A  rather  rare  transient  and  somewhat  local  summer 
resident.     There  are  not  many  migration  records: 
Nov.  7,  1879,  and  May  13,  1880,  presumably  near 
West  Chester,  by  Dr.  Warren;   and  Berwyn  vicin- 
ity, Sept.  20,  1890  and  Sept.  9,  1908;   all  captures. 
Pennock  states  that  two  nests  were  taken  in  swamps 
near  streams,  Kennett  Square;    one  about  1878  by 
Asher  Palmer,  and  the  other  was  taken  by  Charles 
Miller.  Five  sets  were  taken  in  1886,  including  sets  by 
Ladd  and  Pennock  ( Oologist,  iii,  40  and  46 )  ;  a  set 
of  9  eggs  by  Jackson  on  June  2,  and  a  set  of  1 1  eggs 
was  found  on  the  same  date  by  another  collector 
(Orn,  and  Ool.,  xii,  25).  I  found  a  recently  deserted 
nest  and  heard  the  grunting  notes  of  the  owner,  June 
14,  1916,  in  a  swamp  at  the  head  of  Darby  creek, 
Berwyn,   where  several   birds  had   been   taken   by 
gunners  on  previous  seasons.    Careful  search  in  fav- 


Annotated  List  43 


orable  localities  may  reveal  it  nesting  regularly. 

47.  Rallus    crepitans    crepitans    Clapper    Rail. 
Straggler.     Kennett  Square,  Apr.  28,   1908   (Pen- 
nock  MS.,  communicated  by  C.  A.  Thomas). 

48.  Prozana  Carolina   Sora,    "rail,"   "rail  bird," 
"sora."    An  uncommon  transient  and  rare  summer 
resident.    Dr.  Warren  has  taken  specimens  May  3, 
1882;   July  20  and  Aug.  12,  1884,  and  states  that 
it  has  been  found  breeding  along  the  Brandywine 
(Bds.   Pa.,   1890,   71).     My  Berwyn   records  are 
Sept.  5,  1901;    Aug.  29  and  Sept.  5,  1904;    Oct. 
16,   1909. 

49.  Gallinula   galeata   Florida    Gallinule,    "blue 
rail,"  "wild  hen."     Rare  transient  visitant.     Bar- 
nard considered  it  accidental  and  Pennock  as  not 
common.     Warren  took  a  specimen  May  n,  1879 
(Bds.  Pa.  31 ).    A  fine  specimen  of  this  graceful  and 
pugnaceous  bird   became  dazed   by  an   automobile 
headlight  on  the  evening  of  May  4,  1916,  was  cap- 
tures by  E.  L.  Burnhsm  and  brought  to  me  to  be 
banded  and  released.     This  appears  to  be  the  only 
recent  record. 

50.  Fulica  americana  Coot,  "blue  Peter."     Not 
common  transient.    Warren  mentions  having  exam- 
ined six  specimens  taken  in  the  county,  but  gives  no 
dates.    For  the  vicinity  of  Berwyn  I  have  two  spring 
records:  Apr.  19  and  25,  1903;  and  three  autumnal 
captures:  Nov.  I,  1905;  Oct.  9,  1907  (three  others 
seen)  ;    and   Oct.    16,    1909    (Nos.   875,   908   and 
956,  coll.  F.  L.  B.). 

^51.  Scolopax     rusticola     European     Woodcock. 
Straggler.     According  to  Dr.  Warren,  David  M. 


44         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

McFarland  killed  a  large  female  on  the  "barrens," 
East  Nottingham  Twp.,  in  the  early  part  of  Novem- 
ber, 1886  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  78). 

52.  Philohela    minor   Woodcock,    "bog   sucker," 
"mud  snipe,"  "woodcock,"  "wood  snipe."    Not  com- 
mon transient  and  rare  summer  resident;    formerly 
abundant  and  occasionally  taken  in  mild  winters.    A 
nest  and  four  eggs  was  found  at  Paoli,  Apr.   17, 
1904,  by  W.  D.  Carpenter  (Baily,  Cass.,  viii,  64). 
Barnard  gives  the  spring  arrivals  as  March  10  to  18. 
The  Berwyn  migration  records  as  follows: 

Arrival  Mar.  14  (1885)— Apr.  8  (1891),  ave. 
5  yrs.  Mar.  29. 

Departure  Nov.  3  (1896) — Nov.  29  (1904), 
ave.  ii  yrs.  Nov.  17. 

53.  Gallinago  delicata  Wilson's  Snipe,  "English 
snipe,"  "jack  snipe,"  "gray  snipe,"  "robin  snipe."    A 
somewhat  irregular  but   not   uncommon   transient. 
Dr.  Warren  states  that  crippled  individuals  have 
been  shot  near  West  Chester  in  summer,  also  occa- 
sionally during  warm  spells  in  December  and  Janu- 
ary  (Bds.  Pa.,    1890,  81).     I  have  compiled  the 
following  from  all  available  notes  on  spring  arrival 
and  departure,  also  fall  departure: 

Mar.  1 6  (1908) — Mar.  25  (1905)  ;  ave.  6  yrs. 
Mar.  20. 

Apr.  i  (1884) — May  11  (1905);  ave.  8  yrs. 
Apr.  15. 

Nov.  i  (1896-1913) — Nov.  23  (1889);  ave.  4 
yrs.,  Nov.  7. 

54.  Pisobia   minatilla    Least   Sandpiper,    "peep." 
Transient.    Warren  and  Pennock  consider  it  com- 


Annotated  List  45 


mon.  The  former  states  that  an  acquaintance  found 
a  flock  of  probably  100  feeding  on  the  muddy  bot- 
tom of  an  emptied  mill  dam  near  West  Chester,  in 
the  latter  part  of  August,  about  1882  (Bds.  Pa., 
36).  Wilson  finds  it  common  in  Highland  Twp. 
in  March  and  September,  often  in  flocks  of  ten  to 
fifty.  A  mounted  specimen  taken  in  August,  1884, 
is  in  his  collection.  It  has  recently  been  reported 
by  G.  H.  Hallett,  Jr.,  May  13,  Brinton's  dam,  and 
May  22,  1911,  Westtown  (Cass.  xv,  43). 

55.  Ereunetes  pusillus   Semipalmated   Sandpiper, 
"peep."    Rare  transient.    Wilson  gives  it  as  a  com- 
mon  migrant   in   Highland   Twp.,   during   decade 
1880-1890. 

56.  Totanus   melanoleucus    Greater   Yellowlegs. 
Rare  transient.     Given  by  Barnard  and  Michener. 
There  are  two  recent  migration  records,  both  by 
I.  G.  Roberts,  of  West  Chester:  Apr.  24,  1911,  and 
May  17,  1914  (Cass.,  xv,  55,  and  xviii,  53). 

57.  Totanus  flavipes  Yellow-legs.     Rare  transi- 
ent.   Dr.  Michener  considered  it  frequent,  and  Dr. 
Warren  has  recorded  the  following  captures;  Apr. 
30   and   May   7,    1879;    Oct.    10    (4  specimens), 
1880;  Aug.  30,  1882.     (Bds.  Pa.,  38). 

58.  Helodromas     solitarius     solitarius     Solitary 
Sandpiper,  "tiltup,"  "wood  peep."     Regular  trans- 
ient.   Dr.  Montgomery  has  often  found  it  in  flocks 
of  considerable  size  in  the  spring,  and  has  shot  one 
and  seen  others  in  the  summer.    The  data  for  spring 
and  fall  arrival,  however,  is  all  too  scanty: 

May  5    (1880) — May   14   (1883);  ave.   7  yrs. 
May  n. 


46         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Aug.  8  (1906) — Sept.  21  (1883);  ave.  4  yrs. 
Aug.  29. 

59.  Symphemia  semipalmatus  semipalmatus  Wil- 
let.    Straggler.     Dr.  Warren  has  a  specimen,  killed 
by  flying  against  a  telegraph  wire  along  the  Brandy- 
wine,  August,  1887  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  92). 

60.  Bartramia  longicauda  Upland  Plover,  "Bart- 
ram's  plover,"  "grass  plover,"  "field  plover,"  "up- 
land plover."    Rather  rare  summer  resident,  former- 
ly common.    Dr.  Montgomery  found  it  rather  com- 
mon in  the  higher  parts  of  West  Goshen  Twp.,  but 
never  met  with  it  elsewhere.     It  has  recently  been 
found  nesting  at  Westtown,  Malvern,  Paoli,  and  in 
the  Chester  valley  opposite  Berwyn.     Arrival  and 
departure  from  all  sources  are  as  follows: 

Apr.  18  (1907) — May  18  (1902);  ave.  10  yrs. 
May  2. 

Aug.  8  (1906) — Sept.  20  (1880);  ave.  4  yrs. 
Aug.  27. 

61.  Actitis  macularia  Spotted  Sandpiper,  ''peep," 
"pee-weet,"  "pen-wipe,"  "sand  snipe,"  "tilt,"  "tilt- 
tail,"  "tilt-up."     Tolerable  common  summer  resi- 
dent, mainly  about  ponds  and  the  larger  streams. 
Nesting  date:  Valley  Forge,  June  19,  1895;  four 
eggs.     The  following  are  my  Berwyn  vicinity  rec- 
ords on  arrival  and  departure: 

Apr.  14  (1898) — May  14  (1899);  ave.  10  yrs. 
May  2. 

Sept.  ii  (1896) — Sept.  27  (1895);  ave.  2  yrs. 
Sept.  19. 

62.  Squatarola   squatarola    Black-bellied    Plover, 
"bullhead."    Rare  transient.    Listed  by  Barnard  and 


Annotated  List  47 


Michener,  the  latter,  influenced  by  Audubon's  erron- 
eous statement,  classes  it  as  a  summer  resident.  Dr, 
Warren  has  taken  two  specimens  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890, 
97). 

63.  Charadrius     dominions     dominions     Golden 
Plover,  "bullhead,"  "field  plover."    Rare,  formerly 
irregularly  abundant  autumnal  transient.     I  have 
heard  old  gunners  speak  of  the  abundance  of  this 
species  about    1860  in  the   Chester  valley   during 
wheat  sowing  time.     Dr.   Warren  writes  of  the 
largest   recent    flight   in    September   and    October, 
1880;  when  flocks  of  from  50  to  100  were  quite 
plentiful  about  the  plowed  fields  in  the  neighborhood 
of  West  Chester  (Bds.  Pa.,  44) ;  and  also  mentions 
four  specimens  preserved,   taken  in  West  Goshen 
Twp.  in  September,  and  one  in  Birmingham  Twp., 
Oct.  3,  1880  (Ibid.  45). 

64.  Oxyechus  vociferus  Killdeer,  "killdee,"  "kill- 
deer,"  "meadow  plover,"  "plover."    Common  sum- 
mer  resident,   occasional   resident.     A  solitary   in- 
dividual was  seen  on  Jan.  14,  1889,  probably  winter- 
ing in  the  vicinity.     Nesting  data:  Chester  Valley, 
May  27,  1886;  three  eggs.     The  Berwyn  data  on 
arrival  and  departure  follows: 

Feb.  17  (1890)— Apr.  6  (1898);  ave.  32  yrs. 
Mar.  14. 

Oct.  4  (1904)— Nov.  22  (1886);  ave.  20  yrs. 
Oct.  31. 

65.  JEgialitis  semipalmata  Semipalmated  Plover. 
Straggler.     Dr.   Montgomery  shot  two   adults  in 
West   Goshen   Twp.,    Sept.    12,    1888;    the   only 
specimens  taken  in  the  county. 


48          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

66.  Colinus    virginianus    virginianus    Bobwhite, 
"partridge,"   "patridge,"  "quail."     Tolerable  com- 
mon resident  in  some  localities,  formerly  abundant. 
I  am  told  that  prior  to  1860,  it  was  not  uncommon 
for  two  expert  sportsmen  to  kill  as  high  as  sixty 
birds  in  an  afternoon,   in  this  locality.     There  is 
now  only  a  trace  of  the  fine  local  strain,  and  the 
introduced  stock  being  from  the  south  or  west  is 
only  a  temporary  success,  the  exodus  begins  in  a 
short  time. 

67.  Bonasa   umbellus   umbellus    Ruffed    Grouse, 
"pheasant."     Rare  resident.     The  wooded  hills  on 
either  side  of  the  Chester  valley  were  famous  hunt- 
ing grounds  for  this  king  of  game  birds  up  to  about 
1880.    I  have  a  specimen  (No.  160,  coll.  F.  L.  B.) 
taken  Nov.  23,  1889,  almost  the  last  individual  of 
this  once  abundant  species  at  Berwyn.     Ladd  took 
a  set  of  12  eggs,  May  9,  1886  (Ool.,  iii,  40). 

68.  Tympanuchus   cupido    Heath    Hen,   "barren 
hen."     Dr.  Michener  lists  it  as  a  former  resident, 
now  become  extinct.     Tradition  would  have  us  be- 
lieve that  it  inhabited  the  greenbrier  thickets,  scrub 
oak  groves  and  sterile  sedge  fields  of  the  barrens  in 
early  Colonial  times  and  as  there  are  ample  proof 
that  it  existed  in  very  similar  situation  in  the  Pocono 
region ;  I  am  inclined  to  give  it  full  credence. 

69.  Meleagris  gallopavo  silvestris  Wild  Turkey. 
Former  resident,  now  extinct.     A  few  may  have 
existed  in  some  parts  of  the  county,  especially  the 
Welsh  mountain  district;    as  late  as  1830  or  even 
somewhat  later,  since  it  is  listed  by  Barnard  and 
Michener;    but  it  had  disappeared  from  the  culti- 


Annotated  List  49 


vated  districts  at  a  much  earlier  period. 

70.  Phasianus  colchicus  -\-  P.  torquatus  English 
Pheasant.     Resident.     This  fine  hybrid  has  become 
locally  established. 

71.  Ectopistes     migratorius     Passenger     Pigeon, 
"wild  pigeon."     Formerly  an  irregularly  abundant 
transient,  now  extinct.    John  D.  Dillen  states  that 
his  earliest  recollections  of  this  species  dates  back  to 
about  1 864  when  a  flock  was  found  roosting  in  Gib- 
son's pines,  a  four-acre  tract,  located  on  the  South 
Valley  hills,  Tredyffrin  Twp.  upon  the  very  spot 
where  "Weadleytown"  now  stands.     The  pigeon's 
stay  was  always  comparatively  short,  rarely  in  Au- 
gust,  but  could   be  looked   for  any  time   between 
Sept.  10  and  Oct.  10;   nevertheless  a  flock  of  about 
300  individuals  occurred  in  early  November,  1877 
or  1878.     It  was  less  abundant  in  spring;    a  flock 
of  about  50  birds  in  March,  1867,  and  another  of 
about  200  in  March,   1872  or   1873    (Cass.,  xiv, 
33'36) .     Pennock  states  that  small  flocks  were  seen 
at  Kennett  Square  from  1869  to  1873.     Dr.  H.  R. 
Wharton  shot  one  or  two  in  a  wood  at  Stratford, 
1878,  and  there  is  a  specimen  in  the  J.  W.  Sharp  col- 
lection without  data  but  I  understand  that  it  was 
secured  nearby.    Dr.  Montgomery  shot  one  individ- 
ual  Sept.    I,    1886,   in   Birmingham   Twp.,   and   a 
female  in  West  Goshen  Twp.,  Sept.  9,  1887.    Both 
specimens  are  in  immature  plumage  and  now  in  the 
collection  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Phil- 
adelphia,  and   are  believed   to  have   been   the   last 
specimens  taken  in  Southeastern  Pennsylvania.     A 
flock  of  fifteen  passed  over  Berwyn,  April  17,  1901 


5O         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

(Wils-Bull.,  70,  48). 

72.  Zenaidura   macroura   carolinensis    Mourning 
Dove,  "turtle  dove,"  "wild  dove,"  "wild  pigeon." 
Common  summer  resident,  occasional  resident.    Ber- 
wyn  arrival  and  departure. 

Feb.  24  (1906) — Apr.  6  (1914);  ave.  17  yrs. 
Mar.  21. 

Sept.  26  (1910) — Nov.  30  (1912)  ;  ave.  13  yrs. 
Oct.  21. 

The  first  set  of  eggs  is  completed  by  Apr.  20. 

73.  Cathartes  aura  aeptentrionalis  Turkey  Vul- 
ture, "buzzard,"  "turkey  buzzard."    Common  sum- 
mer resident,  more  or  less  regular  resident  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  county.    It  has  been  found  nest- 
ing by  Michener,  Matlack,  Maris  (Orn.  and  Ool., 
ix,  3)  ;    Stone   (Am.  Nat..   1885,  4°7)  J    Pennock, 
Warren,  Jackson,  Burns  and  others,  especially  on 
the  hills  encompassing  the  Brandywine  and  Chester 
valleys.    My  Berwyn  records  of  first  and  last  seen: 

Mar.  16  (1897) — Apr.  13  (1894-1909);  ave. 
15  yrs.  Apr.  4. 

Oct.  ii  (1907) — Dec.  i  (1897-1900);  ave.  20 
yrs.  Oct.  23. 

It  has  also  been  noted  on  Jan.  30,  1906,  and  Feb. 
25,  1901,  doubtless  birds  that  have  wintered  near 
by.  Nests  with  eggs  are  found  by  May  5  to  20. 

74.  Circus  hudsonius  Marsh   Hawk,   "bog  trot- 
ter,"   "hen    hawk."      Not    common    transient    and 
rather  rare  winter  resident.    It  has  been  noted  in  the 
vicinity  of  Kennett  Square,   Westtown  and  West 
Chester  during  the  winter.     A  pair  of  adults  were 
shot  at  Berwyn,  Apr.  20,    1891,  and   it  has  been 


Annotated  List  51 


noticed  as  early  as  Aug.  22  (1878)  in  East  Brad- 
ford Twp.  Below  are  the  averages  from  all  sources : 

Aug.  22  (1878) — Nov.  5  (1879);  ave.  4  yrs. 
Sept.  14. 

Mar.  23  (1914) — Apr.  20  (1891);  ave.  4  yrs. 
Apr.  7. 

75.  Accipiter  velox  Sharp-shinned  Hawk,  "arrow 
hawk,"  "bird  hawk,"  "little  chicken  hawk,"  "little 
hawk,"  "partridge  hawk,"  "sharp-shin,"  "sparrow 
hawk."     Tolerable    common    transient    and    rare, 
though  regular,  summer  resident.     Barnard,  Mich- 
ener  and  Warren  considered  it  as  a  resident,  and 
it   almost  comes  under   this   head   since   there   are 
records  for  every  month  with  the  exception  of  Jan- 
uary.    Matlack,  Warren  and  Jackson  have  found 
it  nesting  near  West  Chester;    one  or  two  nests 
have  been  taken  by  Hughes,  and  Rotzell  secured  a 
set  of  four  eggs  from  a  cedar  grove  near  Berwyn, 
May  23,   1889    (OoL  x,  300)   on  which  occasion 
the  writer  was  present.     This  set  is  now  in  the 
Philadelphia  Academy  of   Natural   Sciences.     On 
account  of  the  presence  of  individuals  in  early  and 
late  winter,  no  migration  averages  can  be  given,  but 
a  perceptible  autumnal  movement  occurs  from  Sept. 
10  to  Oct.  1 6. 

76.  Accipiter    cooperi    Cooper's     Hawk,     "bird 
hawk,"  "blue  hawk,"  "chicken  hawk,"  "little  hen 
hawk,"     "long-tailed    hawk,"     "partridge    hawk," 
"pigeon  hawk,"  "pheasant  hawk,"  "privateer." 

Common  summer,  occasional  resident.  Nidifica- 
tion  commences  about  Apr.  20  in  the  vicinity  of 
Berwyn,  and  the  average  date  for  the  complete  set 


52          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

is  May  8.     I  have  not  found  this  species  present  in 
January. 

77.  Astur  atricapillus  atricapillus  Goshawk,  "hen 
hawk."     Rather  rare  winter  visitant,  usually  soli- 
tary.    Listed  by  Barnard  and  Michener.     Warren 
states  that  he  has  seen  five  individuals  in  ten  years; 
one  was  shot  at  Kennett,  Jan.   i,   1872    (Phillips, 
F.  and  S.,  vi,  84)  ;  there  is  a  specimen  in  the  Sharp 
collection,  taken  many  years  ago  in  Easttown  Twp. ; 
and  Dr.  Hughes  reported  one  killed  near  Downing- 
town   (Abst.  Del.  Val.  Orn.  Club,  ii,   1898,  21). 
There    are    also   three    sight    records   from    West 
Chester:    Dec.  25,  1907,  by  Ehinger  (Bd.  Lore,  x, 
31);    Feb.  7,  1909,  by  Jackson   (Cass.,  xiii,  23); 
and  Dec.  25,  1916,  by  Schmucker  and  Ehinger  (Bd. 
Lore,  xix,  23). 

78.  Buteo    borealis    l/orealis    Red-tailed     Hawk, 
"big  chicken  hawk,"  "hen  hawk,"  "redtail."     Tol- 
erable common  resident,  formerly  rather  abundant 
for  a  member  of  the  Raptores.     It  is  worthy  of 
remark  that  Dr.  Fisher  gave  food  records  of  no  less 
than  178  individuals  taken  in  Chester  county,  mostly 
in  the  winter  months  between  1876  and  1886,  and 
nearly  all  from  the  vicinity  of  West  Chester  (Hawks 
and  Owls  of  the  U.  S.,  53-58).     Large  flights  of 
transients  occurred  near  Berwyn  on  Sept.  24,  1905 
and  Nov.   1-3,   1913.     It  is  rather  curious  that  I 
have  not  found   this  species  nesting  anywhere  on 
the  Valley  hills.     Numerous  nests  have  been  found 
in  the  vicinity  of  Kennett  Square  and  West  Ches- 
ter especially,  by  Warren,  Pennock,  Jackson,  Sharp- 
ies   and    others.      However,    this    large,    handsome 


Photo   by  T.   H.  Jackson 

TURKEY    VULTURE    NESTLING    TWO    OR    THREE    WEEKS    OLD 


Photo    by   E.    H.   Baynes 

YOUNG  TURKEY  VULTURE  ABOUT  TEN   WEEKS  OLD 


Annotated  List  53 


species  is  being  replaced  by  the  less  conspicuous  B. 
platypterus. 

79.  Buteo  lineatus  lineatus  Red-shouldered  Hawk, 
"chicken  hawk,"  "hen  hawk,"  "mouse  hawk."  Com- 
mon  transient  and   less   common   winter   resident. 
Our  most  abundant  Hawk  during  fall  migrations. 
There  appears  no  authentic  breeding  records,  though, 
as  Dr.  Stone  points  out,  we  are  well  within  its  breed- 
ing range.     My  Berwyn  dates  on  autumnal  arrival 
and  vernal  departure  follow: 

Sept.  23  (1902) — Nov.  6  (1894);  ave.  8  yrs. 
Oct.  1 6. 

Feb.  ii  (1891)— Apr.  5  (1917);  ave.  9  yrs. 
Mar.  14. 

80.  Buteo  platypterus  platypterus  Broad-winged 
Hawk,  "chicken  hawk,"  "broad-wing."     Common 
summer  resident.    Michener,  Warren,  Pennock  and 
Montgomery,  all  consider  it  resident,  bu.t  there  ap- 
pear to  be  no  winter  dates  and  it  has  yet  to  appear 
in  the  local  Christmas  census.    This  species,  former- 
ly quite  rare,  is  now  gradually  supplanting  B.bore- 
alis,  but  owing  to  its  inconspicuous  presence,  my 
Berwyn  migration  records  of  its  departure  are  few: 

Arrival — Mar.  20  (1896) — May  6  (1904) ;  ave. 
14  yrs.  Apr.  21. 

Departure — Sept.  6  (1903) — Oct.  10  (1908); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Sept.  21. 

Nest  with  eggs  was  found  by  Phillips  at  Avon- 
dale,  Apr.  26,  1869  (F.  and  S.,  vi,  84),  and  with 
increasing  frequency  by  Matlack,  Price,  Warren, 
Everett,  Darlington,  Jackson,  Baugh,  Ladd,  Sharp- 
ies, Pennock  and  Burns,  principally  on  the  Chester 


54         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

valley  and  Brandywine  hills  (Burns,  Mon.  Broad- 
winged  Hawk,  Wils.  Bull.,  Nos.  76-77).  Nidifica- 
tion  commences  by  April  25,  and  the  average  date 
for  complete  set  is  May  15. 

81.  Archibuteo    lagopus    sancti-johannis    Rough- 
legged  Hawk,  "tiger  hawk."     Rather  rare  winter 
visitant,  though  it  is  included  in  all  but  Montgom- 
ery's list.     In  the  winter  of   1879,  while  hunting 
along  the  Brandywine,  Dr.  Warren  observed  seven 
individuals  at  one  time   (Bds.  Pa.,  92).     I  have, 
however,  only  nine  or  ten  specific  records,  ranging 
from   Dec.   9,    1886,   to   Mar.   22,    1914    (Fisher, 
Hawks  and  Owls,  91 ;  Ehinger,   Bd.  Lore,  xviii, 
28;  Ms.  from  Thomas  and  DeHaven). 

82.  A  quila  chrys&tos  Golden  Eagle.     Straggler. 
Considered  very  rare  by  Barnard,  Michener,  War- 
ren and  Pennock.     According  to  Rhoads,  one  was 
shot  at  Oxford  in  1 88 1  or  1882  (Stone,  Bds.  E.  Pa. 
and  N.  J.,  87).    Another  in  immature  plumage  was 
winged  at  Berwyn,  Apr.  7,  1894,  by  George  Quig- 
ley,  and  kept  in  confinement  for  some  years  at  the 
Sorrel  Horse  tavern  (Abst.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  ii,  22). 

83.  Haliaetus   leucocephalus    lencocephalus    bald 
Eagle.    Transient  and  occasional  winter  visitant,  at 
least  rare  enough  to  excite  general  comment  when- 
ever reported.     Sept.  9,   1915,  to  May  22,   1910 
(Cass.,  v,  47;  xii,  55;  xiv,  41;  xvi,  47;  Bd.  Lore, 
xii,  29;  MS.  Burns  and  Thomas).     Dr.  Warren 
narrates  that  about  1839,  B.  M.  Everhart  found 
within  the  present  borough  limits  of  West  Chester 
a  nest  with  one  eaglet  which  he  kept  for  some  time. 
A  nest  was  located  on  the  North  Valley  hills,  near 


Annotated  List  55 


Valley  Forge,  at  a  much  later  date. 

84.  Falco  peregrinus  anatum  Duck  Hawk.   Rare 
winter  visitant,   and  so   recorded  by  Barnard  and 
Michener.     Dr.  Warren  obtained  one  caught  in  a 
steel   trap    (Penn.   Agri.   Report   for    1833,    109). 
Dr.  Montgomery  saw  a  specimen  in  the  flesh,  shot 
in  East  Bradford  Twp.,  Feb.  14,  1886;  the  skin  of 
which  is  now  in  the  collection  of  G.  W.  Roberts. 
Dr.   Fisher  gives  the  food  data  on  an  additional 
specimen,  taken  in  the  same  locality,  Mar.  17,  1880 

(Hawks  and  Owls,  109)  ;  and  there  are  records  of 
two  shot  at  Lenape,  Oct.  10,  and  Nov.,  1902,  by  J. 
D.  Carter  (Cass.,  vi,  56;  vii,  68).  The  Harry  Gar- 
rett  collection  in  Willistown,  is  said  to  have  con- 
tained two  local  specimens. 

85.  Falco  columbarius  columbarius  Pigeon  Hawk. 
Rare    winter    visitant,    observed    by    Barnard    and 
Michener.  Dr.  Warren  secured  a  pair  in  the  suburbs 
of  West  Chester;  in  one  week  this  pair  had  killed 
or  drove  away  fifty  pigeons  from  the  dovecote  of  a 
blacksmith  (Penn.  Agri.  Rep.  for  1883,  109).    Two 
captures  from  the  same  locality,  Feb.  20,  1878,  and 
Sept.   19,   1879,  are  given  by  Fisher   (Hawks  and 
Owls,  112-113). 

86.  Falco  sparverius  sparverius  Sparrow  Hawk, 
"bird    hawk,"    "little    blue-backed    hawk,"    "little 
chicken  hawk,"  "little  hawk,"  "killy  hawk."    Toler- 
ably common  resident,  less  numerous  than  formerly. 
Dr.  Fisher  gives  58  local  captures,  mostly  winter 
dates  and  the  season  when  it  is  rather  scarce.    Char- 
acteristic nesting  data:  Willistown,  Apr.  29,  1884, 
five  eggs  taken  by  W.  S.  Hall. 


56          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

87.  Pandion   haliaetus  carolinensis  Osprey,   "fish 
hawk,"  "fish  eagle,"  "eagle."    Not  uncommon  trans- 
ient, and  of  course  local.    There  are  rather  indefin- 
ate  intimation  of  it  having  nested  along  the  Brandy- 
wine  at  one  time;  A.  P.  Lee  listed  it  as  breeding 
within  a  few  miles  of  Oxford  (Warren,  Bds.  Pa., 
1890,   143);    and  Dr.  Montgomery  noticed  a  pair 
on  several  occasions  during  the  summer  of   1888, 
along  the  former  stream  in   East  Bradford  Twp. 
However,  this  species  has  been  known  to  travel  quite 
a  distance  in  search  of  food  and  its  mere  presence 
may  often  be  misinterpreted.     I  have  endeavored  to 
give  both  the  spring  and  tall  arrivals  and  departures 
at  Berwyn  vicinity: 

Arrives — Apr.  5  (1908) — Apr.  21  (1893-1903)  ; 
ave.  5  yrs.  Apr.  14. 

Departs — Apr.  29  (1913) — May  15  (1901); 
ave.  5  yrs.  May  7. 

Arrives — Aug.  13  (1912) — Sept.  8  (1905)  ;  ave. 
5  yrs.  Aug.  21. 

Departs— Sept.  27  (1895)— Nov.  U  (1915); 
ave.  4  yrs.,  Oct.  16. 

88.  Aluco  pratincola  Barn  Owl,   "monkey-faced 
owl,"  "southern  barn  owl,"  "white  owl."     Fairly 
common   resident,   formerly   considered   quite   rare. 
The  eastern  part  of  the  county  the  past  twenty-five 
years,  seems  to  have  received  an  increasingly  large 
number  via  the  small  creek  valleys  of  the  Delaware  ,* 
becoming  first  numerous  in  Easttown,  Willistown 
and  East  Goshen  townships,  until  now  it  is  pretty 
well  distributed  over  the  county.     It  nests  usually 
in  large  isolated  trees.    Breeding  date:   East  Goshen 


Annotated  List  57 


Twp.,  May  15,  1902,  taken  by  T.  H.  Jackson 
(Kansas  City  Sci.,  v,  I ;  Bd.  Lore,  1913,  245;  and 
Cass.,  viii,  26). 

89.  Asio    wilsonianus    Long-eared    Owl,    "cedar 
owl,"  "hoot  owl,"  "little  horned  owl,"  "mouse  owl." 
Rather   rare   resident,   common   and    gregarious   in 
winter.    Jackson  has  personally  found  four  nests  in 
Willistown,  West  Goshen  and  Pocopson  townships; 
the  first  with  five  eggs,  Apr.  15,  1870   (Orn.  and 
Ool.,  xi,   1 88).     Pennock  found  a  nest  with  eggs, 
Kennett  Square,  Apr.  7,  1906;   Hughes  found  nests 
at  Paoli  and  Valley  Forge,  and  I  have  found  it  nest- 
ing in  the  Paoli  barrens,  1916  and  1917. 

90.  Asio  flammeus  Shcrt-eared  Owl,  "day  owl," 
"marsh  owl."     Tolerable  common  winter  resident. 
This  species  will  flush  in  grass  fields  and  have  been 
shot  in  the  fall  by  hunters.    Josiah  Hoopes  reported 
colonies   in  his  nurseries   at  West   Chester,   about 
1866,  and  1890-1891   (Stone,  Bd.  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J., 
90).    The  following  migration  records  are  from  all 
sources  within  the  county: 

Arrival— Oct.  27  (1889)— Dec.  8  (1886);  ave. 
8  yrs.,  Nov.  18. 

Departure— Mar.  5  (1887)— Apr.  18  (1888); 
ave.  7  yrs.,  Mar.  22. 

91.  Strix  varia  varia  Barred   Owl,   "hen  owl," 
"hoot  owl,"  "rain  owl."     Rare  winter  resident  ac- 
cording  to   available   data,    though    Michener   and 
Pennock   intimates   that   it   is   a   resident.      Robert 
P.  Sharpies  mentions  one  killed  recently  that  he  be- 
lieved nested  in  an  old  tree  in  the  Bower's  paper 
mill  woods  near  West  Chester,  and  Harry  Wilson 


58          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

mounted  a  specimen  said  to  have  been  shot  from  a 
nest  in  a  pine,  in  a  yard  about  a  mile  from  West 
Grove.  However,  the  less  than  a  dozen  records  of 
capture,  mostly  by  Warren  and  Fisher ;  are  between 
Oct.  28  (1889)  and  Jan.  20  (1883). 

92.  Scotiaptex  cinerea  Great  Gray  Owl.  Strag- 
gler. Dr.  Warren  records  a  specimen  taken  in  mid- 
winter, some  time  prior  to  1870,  by  H.  B.  Graves, 
(Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  152). 

93-  Cryptoglaux  acadia  acadia  Saw-whet  Owl, 
"little  owl."  Rare  winter  visitant,  Aug.  30  (1879) 
to  Dec.  ii  (1913).  Dr.  Warren  offers  the  follow- 
ing records  of  its  capture:  Aug.  30,  1879;  Nov. 
10,  1883  (2);  Sept.  20,  1884;  two  records  of  it 
being  found  dead,  a  male  at  Berwyn,  Nov.  22,  1912 
(No.  999,  coll.  F.  L.  B.)  ;  and  Westtown,  Dec.  n, 
1913,  now  in  Westtown  Boarding  School  museum 
(Thomas,  Cass.  xvi,  54)  ;  also  another  date  for  the 
latter  place,  Dec.  7,  1913  (Carter,  Ibid,  xvii,  54), 
and  a  captive  by  T.  H.  Jackson  at  West  Chester. 

94.  Otus   asio   asio    Screech   Owl,    "barn   owl," 
"gray   owl,"    "little   bird   owl,"    "little    red   owl," 
"mottled  owl,"  "red  owl,"  "screech  owl,"  "sparrow 
owl."    Common  resident,  by  far  the  most  abundant 
and  regularly  distributed  species  of  the  Striges.  Eggs 
usually  deposited  Apr.  I  to  15. 

95.  Bubo  virginianus  virginianius  Great  Horned 
Owl,  "boofer,"  "booby  owl,"  "cat  owl,"  "chicken 
owl,"  "hooter,"  "hoot  owl,"  "woomer."     Resident, 
rather  rare  and  local  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county 
within  the  past  few  years  where  it  was  formerly 
common.    I  have  no  record  of  it  ever  having  nested 


Annotated  List  59 


on  the  South  valley  hills,  although  ft  is  usually  at- 
tracted by  heavy  timber.  It  has  been  found  breed- 
ing most  often  in  the  townships  of  Willistown,  East 
and  West  Goshen,  East  Bradford,  Thornbury, 
Pocopson,  Birmingham  and  Highland;  the  vicinity 
of  Kennett  Square  and  Oxford.  T.  H.  Jackson 
took  his  first  set  of  eggs  of  this  species  on  Feb.  22, 
1868.  Since  then  he  has  taken  some  twenty  sets, 
and  with  the  single  exception  of  one  set  of  three,  the 
complement  consisted  of  two  eggs ;  the  dates  ranging 
from  Feb.  I  to  Mar.  3 ;  all  open  nests,  20  to  90 
feet  up  (Orn.  and  OoL,  1886,  85;  Kan.  City  Sci., 
v,  2 ) .  C.  J.  Pennock  found  nine  open  nests  and  five 
in  hollow  trees,  and  the  earliest  date  for  a  full  set 
was  Feb.  15  (Cass.,  vi;  54). 

96.  Nyctea    nytea    Snowy    Owl,    "snow    owl," 
"white  owl."     Rare  winter  visitant.     Warren  took 
two  in  the  winter  of  1879,  and  Fisher  gives  another 
record,  Dec.  14,  1886.    Jackson  relates  an  instance 
of  this  bird  perching  upon  the  gilded  ball  of  the 
court   house   at  West   Chester,    in   broad   daylight 
(Kas.  City  Sci.,  v,  3).     Montgomery  states  that  a 
few  are  shot  every  severe  winter  and  that  he  has 
seen  such  specimens  in  the  flesh.    During  the  winter 
of  1902,  one  was  observed  flying  over  the  Sharpies 
Separater  Works  in  West  Chester,  and  perched  on 
a   nearby   chimney,   where   it   was   shot    (Sharpies 
MS.).   " 

97.  Coccyzus  americanus  americanus  Yellow-bill- 
ed   Cuckoo,    "couk,"    "Indian   hen,"    "kow   bird," 
"rain  bird,"  "rain  crow."    Tolerable  common  sum- 
mer resident.     June  15  is  the  average  date  for  a 


60          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

complete  set  of  eggs.  My  Berwyn  dates  for  arrival 
and  departure: 

May  3  (1896) — May  26  (1900);  ave.  10  yrs. 
May  17. 

Aug.  29  (1896) — Oct.  5  (1895);  ave.  10  yrs. 
Sept.  14. 

98.  Coccyzus     erythrophthalmus     Black  -  billed 
Cuckoo,    "kow   bird,"    "rain    bird,"    "rain    crow." 
Not  common  summer   resident.     Arrival,   May  9 
(1915) — May  25    (1908);  ave.   5  yrs.   May   19; 
departure,  Sept.  22    (1906).     I  have  found   nests 
with   incubated  eggs  on  June   15,    1885;  Aug.   6, 
1886;  July  15  and  28,  1887. 

99.  Ceryle  alcyon  Belted  Kingfisher,  "kingfisher," 
"rattler."     Not  common  summer  resident;  resident 
in  open  winters.     In  point  of  numbers,  this  is  one 
of  our  scarcest  birds  though  always  conspicuous.   In- 
deed  it  is  possible  for  a  single   individual   in   the 
course  of  a  year  or  two,  to  practically  exterminate 
it  over  a  considerable  area;  a  demonstration  of  this 
occurred   near   Berwyn  a   few  years  since,   in   the 
interest  of  a  trout  pond. 

100.  Dryobates    villosus    villosus    Hairy    Wood- 
pecker,  "sapsucker."     Tolerable  common   resident, 
somewhat  local  in  distribution.     Montgomery  and 
Sharpies  found  it  only  as  a  winter  visitant.     Phil- 
lips took  a  set  of  eggs  in  Kennett  Twp.  Apr.  20, 
1868  (F.  and  S.,  vi,  57)  ;  I  have  found  it  breeding 
in  Tredyffrin  Twp.  on  several  occasions,  and  it  is 
also   reported   nesting  in  Willistown    (Hall,   Orn. 
and  Ool.,  ix,  137)  ;  Oxford  (Burn  MS.),  and  the 
Welsh  mountain  region  (Hunt  MS.). 


Annotated  List  61 


101.  Dry  abates  pubescens  medinus  Downy  Wood- 
pecker,  "sapsucker."     Common   resident.      During 
the  winter  of  1903-4,  it  was  entirely  absent  from 
the  South  Valley  hills  in  the  vicinity  of  Berwyn, 
and  did  not  become  common  until  Mar.  19,  1904. 
It  begins  drilling  for  nest  as  early  as  April  15,  and 
the  eggs  are  deposited  by  May  10. 

1 02.  Sphyrapicus    varius,    varius    Yellow-bellied 
Sapsucker,  "sapsucker."     Tolerable  common  transi- 
ent, and  according  to  Warren,  an  occasional  winter 
visitant.     Pennpck  has  a  Kennett  Square  record  for 
Dec.  12,  1901.    Montgomery  has  found  it  in  April, 
and   from   Sept.   28   to   Nov.   21.     The  combined 
county  data  gives  the  following  results: 

Feb.  14  (1901) — May  24  (1908);  ave.  7  yrs. 
Apr.  1 8. 

Oct.  4  (1887-1913) — Dec.  12  (1901);  ave.  9 
yrs.  Oct.  19. 

103.  Phlceotomus      pileatus      pileatus      Pileated 
Woodpecker,  "Indian  hen."    Straggler.     A  former 
resident,  now  extinct  locally  as  such.     In  Barnard's 
time   it  was  very   rare;    Michener  recorded   it  as 
almost  extinct,  and  in  his  later  list  announced  that 
this  noble  and  once  common  bird  had  disappeared 
with  the  forest  which  had  afforded  it  protection.    A 
straggler  was  taken  about  1878  (Warren,  Bds.  Pa., 
1890,  171). 

104.  Melanerpes  erythrocephalus  erythrocephalus 
Red-headed   Woodpecker,    "red-head   woodpecker." 
Tolerable  common  summer  resident;  occasional  res- 
ident, especially  in  the  Chester  valley   (Cass.,  vii, 
10).    Breeding  date :  Chester  valley,  May  19,  1904, 


62          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

four  eggs  heavily  incubated.  Benvyn  data  on  mi- 
gration. 

Arrives — Apr.  15  (1912) — May  6  (1905-1910); 
ave.  12  yrs.,  May  I. 

Departs — Oct.  g  (1899) — Nov.  12  (1901- 
1902)  ;  ave.  9  yrs.,  Oct.  25. 

105.  Centurus  carolinus  Red-bellied  Woodpecker. 
Rather  rare  winter  visitant,  mentioned  by  all  our 
list-makers.     Phillips  found  it  at  Kennett  Square, 
Oct.,   1871    (F.  and  S.,  vi,   148)  ;    two  specimens 
were  taken  by  Rhoads  at  Kimbleville,  Jan.  I,  1880 
and  Dec.  8,  1881    (Stone,  Bds.  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J., 
96)  ;  and  Warren  has  taken  three  in  ten  winters 
(Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  174). 

1 06.  Colaptes  auratns  luteus  Northern  Flicker, 
"flicker,"  "golden-wing,"  yellowhammer,"  "yellow- 
shaft  flicker."    Common  summer  resident,  occasional 
resident;    the  most  abundant  representative  of  its 
family.      Nidification    begins   Apr.    15-25,    average 
date  for  complete  set  May  26  (Burns,  Mon.  of  the 
Flicker,  Wils.  Bull.,  No.  31).     Migration  at  Ber- 
wyn: 

Arrival— Feb.  2  (1888)— Apr.  6  (1899);  ave. 
27  yrs.,  Mar.  15. 

Common— Feb.  17  (1888)— Apr.  23  (1899); 
ave.  24  yrs.,  Mar.  23. 

Bulk— Sept.  13  (1899)— Oct.  19  (1893-1894); 
ave.  12  yrs.,  Oct.  I. 

Last — Oct.  7  (1915) — Dec.  11  (1900);  ave.  20 
yrs.,  Oct.  29. 

107.  Antrostomus  vociferus  vociferus  Whip-poor- 
will,  "whipper-will,"  "wbipper-ca-loo."     Not  com- 


Annotated  List  63 


mon  summer  resident,  formerly  common.  Nesting 
data:  Parkesburg,  May  20,  1885,  collected  by  J.  H. 
Matlack  (Sharpies  MS.).  The  migration  data  for 
spring  arrival  is  from  all  available  sources,  and  the 
fall  departure  from  my  Berwyn  notes: 

Arrival — Apr.  25  (1900-1913) — May  9  (1912)  ; 
ave.  12  yrs.  May  i. 

Departure — Sept.  14  (1896) — Oct.  19  (1887); 
ave.  4  yrs.  Sept.  29. 

108.  Chordeiles    viroinianus    Nighthawk,    "bird 
hawk,"  "bullbat,"  "whipper-will."    Tolerable  com- 
mon  summer   resident,    rather   local   in   character. 
Breeding  record:    Paoli  barrens,  June  9,  1900,  two 
young  (Bailey,  Cass.,  v  22i).     Migration  records 
from  all  sources: 

Arrival — May  3  (1900) — May  27  (1903)  ;  ave. 
1 6  yrs.  May  14. 

Depart. — Sept.  16  (1890) — Oct.  9  (1904)  ;  ave. 
4  yrs.  Sept.  23, 

109.  Cltuetura  pelagica  Chimney  Swift,  "chimney 
bat,"  "chimney  bird,"  "chimney  swallow,"  "chim- 
ney sweep,"  "swallow."    Common  summer  resident. 
Nesting  date:    Berwyn,   June   I,    1914,   five  eggs, 
collection  of  F.  L.  B.  Berwyn  migration  records: 

Arrives — Apr.  18  (1891) — May  i  (1913);  ave. 
33  yrs.  Apr.  25. 

Common — Apr.  19  (1891) — May  3  (1913); 
ave.  28  yrs.  Apr.  27. 

Bulk  dep. — Aug.  n  (1916) — Oct.  n  (1900), 
ave.  13  yrs.  Sept.  15. 

Last — Sept.  13  (1905) — Oct.  18  (1902);  ave. 
19  yrs.  Oct.  i. 


64         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

no.  Archilochus  colubris  Ruby-throated  Hum- 
mingbird, "hummingbird."  Tolerable  common 
summer  resident.  Nest  and  two  eggs,  Benvyn,  June 
10,  1899.  Also  Berwyn  migration  data: 

Arrives — May  n  (1886) — May  22  (1917); 
ave.  17  yrs.  May  15. 

Departs — Aug.  24  (1913) — Oct.  9  (1887)  ;  ave. 
17  yrs.  Sept.  5. 

in.  Tyrannus  tyranus  Kingbird,  "beebird," 
"kingbird,"  "tweet,"  "tyrant  flycatcher."  Tolerable 
common  summer  resident.  My  Berwyn  migration 
data  may  average  a  few  days  later  than  that  of  the 
southern  parts  of  the  county. 

Arrival — Apr.  20  (1895) — May  20  (1917); 
ave.  1 8  yrs.  May  5. 

Common — Apr.  25  (1895) — May  27  (1917); 
ave.  10  yrs.  May  10. 

Departure — Aug.  24  (1905) — Sept.  10  (1904); 
ave.  ii  yrs.  Sept.  2. 

112.  Myiarchus  crinitus  Crested  Flycatcher,  "fly- 
catcher,"    "great-crest,"    "snake    bird."      Common 
summer  resident.     Nesting  data:    Berwyn,  June  4, 
1893,  five  eggs. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  17  (1913) — May  8  (1909)  ;  ave. 
26  yrs.  May  I. 

Common — Apr.  19  (1894) — May  19  (1913); 
ave.  22  yrs.  May  9. 

Departure — Aug.  29  (1902) — Oct.  7  (1895- 
1897)  J  ave.  13  yrs.  Sept.  15. 

113.  Sayornis       phcebe       Phoebe,       "beambird," 
"bridgebird,"      "phcebebird,"     "pewee,"     "pewit." 


Photo   by  T.  H.  Jackson 

GREAT     HORNED    OWLS     FIFTEEN     WEEKS     OLD 


Photo   by  T.  H.  Jackson 

BARN  OWLS  TEN  WEEKS  OLD 


Annotated  List  65 


Common  summer  resident,  occasional  in  winter. 
Pennock  saw  one  on  Dec.  27,  1883,  another  Jan. 
9,  1884;  Dr.  Warren  saw  C.  D.  Wood  skinning 
a  specimen  said  to  have  been  shot  at  Spring  City, 
Jan.  22,  1883  (Bds.  Pa.,  151)  ;  and  J.  D.  Carter 
in  his  West  Chester-Coatesville  bird  census,  1901- 
03,  has  thrice  reported  an  individual  on  Dec.  25 
(Bd.  Lore,  iv,  29 ;  v.  17).  Nidification  begins  about 
Apr.  25 ;  average  date  for  first  complete  set,  May  5. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Mar.  2  (1909) — Apr.  13  (1906)  ;  ave. 
27  yrs.  Mar.  25. 

Common — Mar.  17  ( 1 898 )  — Apr.  14  ( 1 896 )  ; 
ave.  14  yrs.  Apr.  3. 

Departure — Oct.  I  (1885-1897) — Oct.  31 
(1889);  ave.  1 6  yrs.  Oct.  14. 

114.  Nuttallornis  borealis  Olive-sided   Flycatch- 
er.   Rare  transient.    Given  by  Michener.    Warren 
states  that  a  few  specimens  have  been  taken  at  irreg- 
ular periods,  and  that  C.  D.  Wood  took  a  specimen 
near  Coatesville,  May  I,  1864.     Stone  reports  that 
one  was  taken  along  the  Brandy  wine,  near  Morton- 
ville,  May  4,   1898,  and  Thomas  observed  one  at 
Kennett  Square,  May  3,  1909. 

115.  Myiochanes  virens  Wood  Pewee.    Common 
summer   resident.      Nesting  data:   Chester   Valley, 
May  19,  1904;  three  eggs. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  3  (1896) — May  22  (1917)  ;  ave. 
II  yrs.  May  13. 

Common — May  n  (1904) — May  30  (1907- 
1917) ;  ave.  6  yrs.  May  21. 


66          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Departure — Aug.  24  (190?) — Sept.  26  (1889); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Sept.  7. 

1 1 6.  Empidonax  flaviventris  Yellow-bellied  Fly- 
catcher.   Rare  transient ;  probably  more  regular  than 
supposed,  as  it  is  mentioned  by  all  our  list  makers. 
Warren  took  four  specimens  Sept.  22-30,  1880,  and 
Montgomery  secured  three  or  four.    The  other  rec- 
ords are:  Berwyn,  Sept.   19,  1898   (No.  686,  coll. 
F.  L.  B.)  ;  Westtown,  May  6,  1904  (Linton),  and 
Kennett  Square,  June  2,  1907  (Pennock).    Barnard 
informs  us  that  it  arrives  May  8  to  14. 

117.  Empidonax    virescens    Acadian    Flycatcher, 
"hick-up."    Tolerably  common  summer  resident ;  in 
late  years  becoming  more  localized  and  scarcely  ever 
found  on  the  higher  hills.     Average  date  for  com- 
plete set  of  eggs  at  Berwyn,  June  9. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  7  (1891-1895) — May  26  (1900)  ; 
ave.  15  yrs.  May  15. 

Common — May  14  (1901-1905) — May  31 
(1910)  ;  ave.  n  yrs.  May  22. 

It  has  been  observed  as  late  as  Sept.  20. 

1 1 8.  Empidonax  trailli  alnorum  Alder  Flycatch- 
er.   Rare  transient.    Dr.  Michener  of  course  follow- 
ed Baird  in  calling  this  species  E. trailli  Traill's  Fly- 
catcher, and  appears  to  be  the  only  one,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Dr.  Warren;  who  has  obtained  it  in  the 
county.     There  are  no  recent  records. 

119.  Empidonax  minimus  Least  Flycatcher,  "che- 
bec."    Tolerably  common  transient. 

Berwyn: 

Vernal  arriv. — Apr.  28  (1915) — May  7  (1917)  ; 


Annotated  List  67 


ave.  6  yrs.  May  3. 

Vernal  depart. — May  7  (1907-1909) — May  16 
(1905)  ;  ave.  6  yrs.  May  n. 

Dr.  Montgomery  never  observed  it  in  the  fall,  and 
I  have  but  one  fall  capture  at  Berwyn,  Oct.  15, 
1889. 

1 20.  Otocoris   alpestris   alpestris    Horned    Lark, 
"field  lark,"  "skylark."42  Tolerably  common  winter 
visitant;  gregarious  and  irregular.     Barnard  gives 
its  arrival  as  Dec.  5  to  22;  Carter  found  many  in- 
dividuals on  Dec.  25,  1901-03;  Pennock  at  Kennett 
Square  on  Jan.  5,  1912;  Fowler  at  Cheyney,  Feb. 
12,    1907;  Pennell   at  Downingtown  on   Feb.  23, 
1902,  and  Feb.  20-26,  1903;  and  the  latest  date  in 
which   it   has   been   seen   at   Berwyn   is   Mar.    16 
(1896). 

121.  Cyanocitta  cristata  cristata  Blue  Jay,  "jay," 
"jay-bird."    Common  resident.    Not  present  at  Ber- 
wyn during  the  winter  of  1903-04,  nor  at  Westtown 
winter  of   1910-11.     Nesting  data:    Devon,  Apr. 
25,    1915,  six  eggs.     An  interesting  flight  of  this 
species  occurred  over  my  home  between  7.30  and 
10.30  A.  M.  on  Oct.  7,  1917.    The  birds  were  in 
flocks  of  from  two  to  forty  individuals,  flying  with 
surprising  rapidity  southwest  in  one  track  at  an  esti- 
mated elevation  of  300  feet  above  the  hill.     These 
flocks  were  sometimes  many  minutes  apart  and  the 
birds  could  be  occasionally  heard  uttering  the  char- 
acteristic "keck." 

122.  Corvus  corax  pnndpalis  Northern  Raven. 
Formerly  resident,  now  extinct.    Very  rare  (Barn- 
ard) ;    resident,  now  very  rare  or  extinct   (Mich- 


68          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

ener). 

123.  Corvus    brachvrhynchos    Crow.      Common 
resident,  abundant  in  winter.     A  famous  roost  lo- 
cated on  the  North  Valley  hills  near  Diamond  rock, 
was  visited  as  early  as  1889  by  the  writer,  and  in 
1899,   1900  and  1901   by  Dr.  W.  E.  Rotzell.     It 
occupied  probably  ten  ac^es  and  shifted  from  place 
to  place  as  the  birds  were  disturbed.     Flight  lines 
have  shown  that  the  Crows  sought  this  roost  from 
Audubon  on  the  Perkiomen,  Port  Kennedy,  Norris- 
town,  Conshohocken,  Bryn  Mawr,  Radnor,  Devon, 
Wawa,  Westtown  and  League  Island. 

Prior  to  1890,  another  roost  was  situated  on  the 
North  Valley  hills  near  Coatesville.  T.  H.  Windle 
estimated  the  number  at  trom  30,000  to  50,000.  In 
1895,  this  roost  was  on  the  south  ridge,  between 
Coatesville  and  Pomeroy;  later  shifted  back  to  the 
north  ridge,  which  was  occupied  for  several  winters, 
according  to  H.  E.  Stone.  Crows  returned  to  this 
roost  from  Kennett  Square,  Timicular,  Mortonville 
and  probably  from  Lenape ;  while  a  number  of  other 
flight-lines  converged  from  the  north  and  west  (Cog- 
gins,  Cass.,  vii,  34,  36-38  and  map).  Nidification 
commences  as  early  as  Mnr.  20  in  open  seasons,  and 
the  average  date  for  a  complete  set  is  Apr.  15. 

124.  Corvus  ossifragus  Fish  Crow,  "crow."    Tol- 
erably common  resident,  formerly  quite  rare  or  ab- 
sent  except   in   the   southern   part   of   the   county. 
Some  years  prior  to  1888,  J.  H.  Matlack  took  a  set 
of  eggs  somewhere  along  the  Brandywine  (Warren, 
Bds.  Pa.,  162).    On  Mar.  6,  1891,  Frank  H.  Stauf- 
fer,  of  Berwyn,  found  a  dead  male  in  his  yard  and 


Annotated  List  69 


presented  it  to  me  (No.  205,  coll.  F.  L.  B.),  and 
I  found  my  first  nest  and  eggs  on  May  n,  1899, 
(Osprey,  iv,  33),  and  ft  became  fairly  well  distrib- 
uted, though  rather  solitary,  until  the  chestnut  blight 
destroyed  the  tall  timber  in  which  it  was  accustomed 
to  nest. 

125.  Sturnus     vulgaris     Starling,     "blackbird," 
"stare."      Common   resident,   gregarious   and   most 
abundant  in  winter.     First  observed  in  the  Chester 
valley  opposite  Berwyn,  Jan.  5,  1911,  and  a  male 
secured  on  Feb.  2  (No.  983,  coll.  F.  L.  B.)  is  prob- 
ably the  first  specimen  for  the  county,  and  it  nested 
the  same  year  at  Bacton    (Wils.  Bull.,  90,  289). 
First  observed  at  West  Chester,  Dec.  3,  1911,  by 
T.    H.   Jackson    (Auk,   xxix,   243)  ;   Phoenixville, 
June  9,  1912,  by  L.  S.  Pierson;  Westtown,  June  3, 
1912,  by  S.  C.  DeHaven,  and  Kennett  Square,  Mar. 
8,  1913,  by  C.  A.  Thomas  (Cass.,  xvi,  49,  and  xviii, 

56). 

126.  Dolichonyx  oryzivorus  Bobolink,  "reedbird." 
Passably  common  transient  and  rare  summer  resi- 
dent.    Montgomery  says  that  it  is  found  almost  ex- 
clusively along  the  Brandywine  in  spring,  but  in  the 
fall  it  is  frequently  met  with  on  the  uplands  in  clover 
fields.    Dr.  Warren  hints  that  nests  have  been  found 
on  one  or  two  occasions  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  206)  ;  Dr. 
Trotter  found  several  pairs  at  Cheyney  apparently 
nesting  in  the  fields  (Au.k,  xxxi,  400),  and  on  June 
3,  1917,  R.  P.  Sharpies,  G.  L.  Eadie  and  the  writer 
observed  a  pair  in  a  meadow  of  the  Chesterbrook 
farm,  near  Berwyn;  evidently  nesting. 

Spring     arrival — Apr.     27      (1908) — May     15 


7O          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

(1914)  ;  ave.  28  yrs.  May  7. 

Fall  arrival — Aug.  4  (1886) — Sept.  25  (1890)  ; 
ave.  8  yrs.  Aug.  28. 

127.  Molotherus  ater  ater  Cowbird,  "cow  black- 
bird," "cowpens  bunting,"  "lazybird,"  "little  black- 
bird."    Tolerably  common  summer  resident.     Dr. 
Warren  states  that  Harry  Garrett  of  Willistown 
had  noted  it  as  an  occasional  resident,  and  I  once  ob- 
served it  at  Berwyn  on  Jan.  17,  1913.    This  species 
builds  no  nest,  but  lays  its  eggs  in  other  birds'  nests 
where  the  young  are  hatched  and  reared  by  the  foster 
parents. 

128.  Agelaius    phoenlceus    phceniceus    Red-wing- 
ed    Blackbird,     "red-wing,"     "swamp    blackbird," 
"swampy."     Common  summer  resident,  gregarious, 
and    most    abundant    during   migrations.      Nesting 
data:  Berwyn,  May  25,  1889,  four  eggs  taken  by 
W.  E.  Rotzell.     The  Kennett  Square,  Westtown 
and  West  Chester  migration  data  for  first  arrival 
average  several  days  earlier  than  that  of  Berwyn 
which  I  give  below: 

First  arrival — Feb.  17  (1909) — Apr.  10  (1886)  ; 
ave.  29  yrs.  Mar.  15. 

Bulk  arrival — Mar.  4  (1908) — Apr.  24  (1902)  ; 
ave.  1 8  yrs.  Mar.  25. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  30  (1916) — Oct.  25 
(1911) ;  ave.  6  yrs.  Oct.  14. 

Last  seen — Sept.  15  (1902) — Nov.  5  (1888); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Oct.  26. 

129.  Sturnella    magna    magna    Meadow    Lark, 
"field  lark,"  "meadow  lark,"  "yeliowbreast."    Com- 
mon resident,  gregarious  and  rather  local  in  winter. 


Annotated  List  Jl 


Dr.  Montgomery  says  he  can  corroborate  the  fact 
noticed  by  other  observers  that  in  the  cold  season,  it 
always  migrates  to  a  certain  extent  by  leaving  the 
higher  ground  to  collect  in  the  valleys.  J.  H.  Mat- 
lack  found  a  nest  containing  eight  young  and  one 
egg,  June  3,  1879;  a  most  unusual  number  (Ool., 

v,  43). 

130.  Icterus  spurius  Orchard  Oriole,  "hangbird," 
"hangnest,"    "oriole,"    "yellow   hangbird."     Toler- 
able common  summer  resident.     Nesting  data:  Ber- 
wyn,  June  i,  1888,  four  eggs. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  30  (1898) — May  15  (1911); 
ave.  23  yrs.  May  6. 

Common — May  4  (1895) — May  13  (1902-1903- 
1904-1905) ;  ave.  n  yrs.  May  n. 

Departure — Aug.  23  (1899) — Sept.  9  (1901); 
ave.  14  yrs.  Aug.  30. 

131.  Icterus  galbula  Baltimore  Oriole,  "firebird," 
"golden    hangnest,"    "golden    oriole,"    "hangbird," 
"hangnest,"  "yellowbird."     Common  summer  resi- 
dent.   Nidification  begins  about  May  25. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  22  (1909) — May  n  (1903); 
ave.  27  yrs.  May  5. 

Common — May  7  (1899) — May  15  (1900); 
ave.  14  yrs.  May  10. 

Departure — Aug.  24  (1913) — Sept.  14  (1914); 
ave.  17  yrs.  Aug.  28. 

132.  Euphagus  carolinus  Rusty  Blackbird,  "Caro- 
lina blackbird."     Not  common  transient,  occasional 
winter  visitant.    J.  D.  Carter  has  recorded  a  single 


72          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

individual  in  his  West  Chester-Coatesville  Christ- 
mas census,  1901-02-03  (Bd.  Lore). 

Spring  arrival — Feb.  16  (1909) — Mar.  19 
(1905) ;  ave.  9  yrs.  Mar.  5. 

Fall  arrival — Oct.  24  (1915) — Nov.  22  (1896)  ; 
ave.  3  yrs.  Nov.  8. 

133.  Quiscalus  quiscula,  quiscula*3  Purple  Grack- 
le,  "blackbird,"  "crow  blackbird."  Abundant  summer 
resident;    not  rare  resident  in  mild  winters.     Gre- 
garious,  nesting  in  colonies  and   gathering  in  im- 
mense  numbers   previous   to   the    autumnal    flight. 
Nidification  begins  Apr.  15;  average  date  for  com- 
plete set,  Apr.  26.     Berwyn  data  on  the  migration 
of  this  bird  is  unusually  complete. 

Arrival — Jan  7  (1890) — Mar.  16  (1885);  ave. 
33  yrs.  Feb.  27. 

Bulk  arriv.— Feb.  13  (1890)— Mar.  27  (1885)  ; 
ave.  32  yrs.  Mar.  9. 

Bulk  depart. — Sept.  24  (1891) — Nov.  n 
(1889)  ;  ave.  25  yrs.  Oct.  20. 

Last  seen— Oct.  6  (1887)— Dec.  24  (1889); 
ave.  32  yrs.  Nov.  5. 

134.  Quiscalus  quiscala  teneus  Bronzed  Crackle. 
Straggler.     Dr.   Montgomery  took  a  specimen   in 
East  Bradford,  Apr.  30,   1889,  and  Dr.  Chapman 
found  one  closely  approaching  this  form  in  a  series 
of  skins  taken  in  the  breeding  season  in   Chester 
county  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Warren  and  G.  W.  Roberts. 

135.  Pinicola  enucleator  leucura  Pine  Grosbeak. 
Rare  winter  visitant;  occurs  only  in  the  most  severe 
weather.     Listed  by  Michener,  Warren  and   Pen- 
nock. 


Annotated  List  73 


136.  Passer    domesticus    hostilis    British    House 
Sparrow,     "English     sparrow,"     "house     sparrow" 
"town  sparrow."     Abundant  resident.     Introduced 
in  Chester  county  about  1875,  when  six  birds  were 
brought  to  West  Chester  from  Philadelphia  (Bar- 
row, English  Sparrow  in  N.  A.)  ;   in  1879,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  Warren,  it  had  already  become  abundant 
and  a  pest. 

137.  Carpodacus    purpureus    purpureus     Purple 
Finch,  "hempbird,"  "red  sparrow."    Tolerably  com- 
mon transient  and  irregular  winter  visitant.     Dr. 
Warren  examined  twenty-one  specimens  taken  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  March,  throughout  April  and 
from  May  I  to  15  (Bds.  Pa.,  183).    Dr.  Montgom- 
ery personally  observed  it  only  in  the  year   1887, 
from  Apr.  26  to  May  9.    A  few  have  been  observed 
on  Christmas  day,  1911-14-15,  by  Dr.  Ehinger,  es- 
pecially near  West  Chester,   and   I   have   a  single 
specimen  taken  in  winter,  Feb.  8,   1907   (No.  906, 
coll.  F.  L,  B.). 

Autumnal  migr. — Oct.  8  (1916) — Nov  .  II 
(1897)  ;  ave.  7  yrs.  Oct.  24. 

Vernal  migr. — Apr.  25  (1913) — May  9  (1887)  ; 
ave.  9  yrs.  May  2. 

138.  Loxia    curvirostra    minor    Crossbill.      Not 
common    winter    visitant,    and    occasional    summer 
straggler.     Mentioned  by  Michener,  Warren  and 
Pennock;    the  latter  reports  it  at  Kennett  Square, 
in  January,  1900  (Abst.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  iv,  2).     Dr. 
Montgomery  found  it  near  West  Chester  on  one  or 
two  occasions,  and  Josiah  Hoopes  collected  it  quite 
frequently   in   the    Hoopes    Brothers   and    Thomas 


74         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

nurseries,  West  Goshen  Twp.  On  June  16-17, 
1911,  Pennock  and  Carter  observed  two  adults  and 
two  juveniles  in  a  scattered  growth  of  pitch  pines, 
the  barrens  of  the  extreme  southwest  corner  of  the 
county,  bordering  Maryland  (Auk,  xxix,  245). 

139.  Loxia    leucoptera    White-winged    Crossbill. 
Rare  winter  visitant.     Audubon  states  that  he  ob- 
tained some  specimens  during  winter  along  the  chilly 
shores  of  the  Schuylkill  (Orn.  Biog.)  ;   Barnard  ob- 
tained  it   in   December,    1854;    arjd    Montgomery 
reported  two  at  West  Chester,  Jan.  28,  1900  ( Abst. 
Proc.  D.  V.  O.  C.,  iv,  2).     There  are  also  two 
sight  records:    Jan.   27,   1900,  at  Kennett  Square 
(Pennock   MS.   communicated   by  Thomas)  ;    and 
Jan.  12,  1917,  at  Berwyn,  by  the  writer. 

140.  A  cant  his  linaria  linaria  Redpoll.     Irregular 
winter  visitant.     Both  Barnard  and  Michener  con- 
sidered it  very  rare.     Dr.  Warren  and  a  friend  ob- 
tained 150  specimens  during  the  winter  of  1878-79, 
although  for  fifteen  years  prior  to  this  it  had  not 
been  seen,  at  least  in  any  numbers  (Bds.  Pa.,  185). 
It  has  also  been  reported  from  West  Chester,  Mar. 
24,  1888,  and  Feb.  14,  1899,  by  Montgomery;  Feb. 
17,  1907,  by  Sharpies  and  Jackson;    and  Mar.  5, 
1914,  by  Roberts;    Downington,  Feb.  24,  1902,  by 
Pennell;    Kennett  Square,  Dec.  25,  1906,  Feb.  25 
and  Mar.  13,  1907,  by  Pennock;   Mar.  3,  1914,  by 
Thomas;    and  Paoli,  Feb.   16,   1907,  by  Redfield; 
from  a  single  individual  to  flocks  of  fifty. 

141.  Astragalinus   tristis   tristis   Goldfinch,    "let- 
ticebird,     "saladbird,"     "sunflowerbird,"     "thistle- 
bird,"  "wild  canary,"  "yellowbird."    Common  resi- 


Annotated  List  75 


dent,  though  many  migrate  in  severe  winters.    Nest- 
ing data:  Berwyn,  Aug.  12,  1889,  f°ur  eggs. 

142.  Spinus  pinus  Pine  Siskin.     Irregular  winter 
visitant  and  vernal  transient.     I  observed  a  flock  of 
twenty-five  at  Berwyn,  Apr.  30,  1909. 

Arrival— Dec.  25   (1913)— Feb.  5,   (1888). 
Departure — Apr.  30  (1909) — May  15   (1912); 
ave.  6,  records  May  4. 

143.  Plectrophenax  nivalis  nivalis  Snow  bunting. 
Irregular  winter  visitant  in  small  flocks.     Consid- 
ered rare  by  Barnard  and  Michener.    Pennock  noted 
it  in  the  winter,  of  1870-71  and  1900,  and  secured 
three  specimens  in  1886,  near  Kennett  Square.   Ob- 
served at  Downingtown,  Feb.  23,  1902,  by  Pennell; 
Berwyn,  Feb.  17,  1905,  by  Burns;    West  Chester, 
Mar.  2,   1914,  by  Ehinger;    in  flocks  of  not  more 
than  thirty  birds. 

144.  Calcarius     lapponicus    lapponicus    Lapland 
Longspur.     Rare  winter  visitant.     Michener  gave 
it  as  very  rare.    Not  in  Barnard's  list,  but  according 
to  Pennock,  his  cabinet  contained  a  specimen  taken 
in  the  county  later  than  the  publication  of  his  list. 

145.  Poocates      gramineus      gramineus      Vesper 
Sparrow,   "field   sparrow,"   "grass  finch,"   "ground 
chippy,"  "snakebird."     Tolerably  common  summer 
resident,  occasional  resident.     Nesting  data:    Ber- 
wyn, June  10,  1885,  four  eggs. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Mar.  15  (1898) — Apr.  20  (1891); 
ave.  20  yrs.  Apr.  5. 

Common — Apr.  4  (1902) — May  4  (1906- 
1911)  ;  ave.  15  yrs.  Apr.  20. 


76         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Departure — Oct.  9  (18901895-1899-1896)  — 
Dec.  22  (1887)  ;  ave.  7  yrs.  Oct.  25. 

146.  Passerculus  sandwichensis  savanna  Savannah 
Sparrow.    Transient;  Michener,  Warren  and  Pen- 
nock  consider  it  common,  while  Montgomery  found 
it  abundant  in  spring  and  fall.    At  Berwyn  it  is  not 
at   all   common,    and   migration    records   from    all 
sources  all  too  scanty. 

Spring  arrival — Mar.  28  (1889) — Apr.  18 
(1891-1915) ;  ave.  8  yrs.  Apr.  12. 

Spring  departure — Apr.  13  (1886) — May  9 
(1891) ;  ave.  5  yrs.  Apr.  21. 

Fall  date,  Nov.  4,  1902. 

147.  Ammodramus  savannarum  australis  Grass- 
hopper Sparrow,  "ground  chippy,"  "yellow-winged 
bunting,"    "yellow-winged    sparrow."      Tolerably 
common  summer  resident;  rather  local,  breeding  in 
small  colonies  in  grass  fields.     Nesting  data:  June 
4,   1884,  Willistown,  four  eggs;  taken  by  W.  S. 
Hall. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  21  (1893) — May  3  (1917)  ;  ave. 
12  yrs.  Apr.  28. 

Common — May  8  (1909-16) — May  21  (1913)  >' 
ave.  7  yrs.  May  n. 

Departure— Oct.  6  (1905)— Oct.  7  (1917)  ;  ave. 
2  yrs.  Oct.  7. 

148.  Passerbulus    henslowi    henslowi    Henslow's 
Sparrow.     Rare  transient,  and  so  listed  by  all  au- 
thorities.    I  have  a  female  taken  at  Berwyn,  Oct. 
23,   1896   (No.  615,  coll.  F.  L.  B.).     Hunt  ob- 
served six  pairs  at  Cupola,  Apr.  24,  shot  one  on  the 


Photo   by   T.   H.  Jackson 

ACADIAN    FLYCATCHER    NEST    AND    EGGS 


Photo  by  T.  H.  Jackson 

INDIGO    BUNTING 


NEST    AND    EGGS 


Annotated  List  77 


26,  and  it  was  last  seen  on  May  8,  1914  (Auk, 
xxi,  386).  Roberts  reports  a  small  flock  near  New 
Garden,  Oct.  n,  1914. 

149.  Zonotrichia    leucophrys    leucophrys    White- 
crowned  Sparrow.     Rare  transient.     In  submitting 
the  migration  data  from  all  sources,  the  possibility 
of  error  in  sight  records  is  believed  at  a  minimum,  all 
being  experienced  observers;  and  all  records  as  far 
as  I  know  are  for  solitary  individuals. 

Spring  arrivals — Apr.  30  (1907) — May  2O 
(1892)  ;  ave.  12  yrs.  May  10. 

Fall  arrival— Oct.  6  (1905)— Oct.  18  (1890); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Oct.  10. 

150.  Zonotrichia  albicollis  White-throated  Spar- 
row,   "peabody    bird."      Abundant    transient,    and 
occasional  winter  resident.    Berwyn  migration  data : 

Spring  arrival — Mar.  6  (1906) — Apr.  16 
(1898)  ;  ave.  13  yrs.  Mar.  27. 

Spring  departure — Apr.  27  (1902-1907-1911)  — 
May  23  (1905)  ;  ave.  12  yrs.  May  12. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  24  (1913) — Nov.  i  (1900)  ; 
ave.  1 8  yrs.  Oct.  7. 

Fall  departure — Oct.  18  (1903) — Dec.  20 
(1900)  ;  ave.  15  yrs.  Nov.  4. 

151.  Spizella    monticola    monticola    Tree    Spar- 
row, "winter  chippy."     Tolerable  common  winter 
resident,  often  associating  with  the  Junco. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival— Oct.  17  (1896)— Dec.  n  (1886);  ave. 
8  yrs.  Nov.  2. 

Common— Oct.  20  ( 1 894 )  —Dec.  1 1  ( 1 886 ) ; 
ave.  8  yrs.  Nov.  18. 


78          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Departure — Mar.  16  (1901) — Apr.  21  (1887); 
ave.  17  yrs.  Apr.  9. 

152.  Spizella  passerina  passerina  Chipping  Spar- 
row,   "bush   sparrow,"    "chippy,"    "chip   sparrow," 
"hairbird,"    "honeysucklebird,"    "house    sparrow," 
"tit,"  "tree  sparrow."    Abundant  summer  resident. 
Nidification  commences  May  5 ;  average  date  for 
complete  set,  May  15. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Mar.  2  (1909) — Apr.  18  (1891)  ;  ave. 
32  yrs.  Mar.  30. 

Common — Mar.  29  (1907-1914) — Apr.  29 
(1891)  ;  ave.  29  yrs.  Apr.  10. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  20  (1906) — Oct.  21 
(1902) ;  ave.  8  yrs.  Oct.  8. 

Last  seen— Sept.  29  (1898)— Oct.  28  (1891); 
ave  19  yrs.  Oct.  14. 

153.  Spizella     pusilla     pusilla     Field     Sparrow, 
"bush   sparrow,"    "field    chippy,"    "field   sparrow," 
"ground  chippy."     Abundant  summer  resident,  oc- 
casional resident.    Average  date  for  set  of  eggs,  May 
1 8. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Mar.  6  (1906) — Apr.  15  (1887)  J  ave. 
30  yrs.  Mar.  29. 

Common — Mar.  24  (1903) — Apr.  29  (1891); 
ave.  30  yrs.  Apr.  5. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  26  (1904) — Oct.  23 
(1895);  ave.  13  yrs.  Oct.  13. 

Last  seen — Oct.  6  (1904) — Nov.  29  (1887); 
ave.  20  yrs.  Oct.  22. 

154.  Junco  hy emails  hyemalis  Slate-colored  Junco, 


Annotated  List  79 


"black  snowbird,"  "snowbird."  Abundant  winter 
resident,  gregarious.  This  species  is  undoubtedly 
the  most  abundant  of  all  our  native  birds  in  winter. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Oct.  4.  (1897) — Dec.  3  (1887);  ave. 
28  yrs.  Oct.  22. 

Common — Oct.  6  (1908) — Dec.  27  (1890); 
ave.  24  yrs.  Oct.  28. 

Bulk  departure — Apr.  4  (1892) — Apr.  19 
(1904) ;  ave.  13  yrs.  Apr.  12. 

Last  seen — Apr.  4  (1892-1913) — Apr.  30 
(1890)  ;  ave.  26  yrs.  Apr.  18. 

155.  Melospiza  melodia  melodia  Song  Sparrow, 
"bush  sparrow,"   "cheer-up,   cheer-up  for  Easter," 
"ground   chippy,"   "ground   sparrow,"   "song  spar- 
row."    Tolerable  common  resident  and   abundant 
summer  resident.     Nidification  begins  as  early  as 
Apr.  30;    average  date  for  complete  set,  May  16. 

Berwyn : 

Bulk  arrive— Feb.  n  (1890)— Mar.  30  (1887)  ; 
ave.  19  yrs.  Mar.  7. 

Bulk  depart— Oct.  9  (1895)— Dec.  7  (1886); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Nov.  12. 

156.  Melospiza  lincolni  lincolni  Lincoln's  Spar- 
row.   Rare  transient ;  Dr.  Michener  says  extremely 
rare.     Dr.  Warren  has  killed  several  during  migra- 
tions, near  West  Chester ;    two  early  in  May,  one 
late  in  September,  and  one  early  in  October;    and 
R.  P.  Sharpies  secured  a  male,  Sept.  18,   1900,  at 
the  same  place,  and  the  skin  is  now  in  his  collection. 

157.  Melospiza  georgiana  Swamp  Sparrow.  Reg- 
ular  transient   and   rare   summer   resident;    some- 


8o         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

what  local  and  not  gregarious.  Pennock  states  that 
a  nest  with  eggs  was  taken  near  Kennett  Square  in 
1885;  and  Sharpies  has  found  it  every  year  in  a 
swamp  at  Eachus's  mill,  near  West  Chester;  and 
believes  it  is  a  summer  resident.  Migration  records 
from  all  available  resources: 

Spring  arrival — Mar.  23  (1886) — Apr.  30 
(1905)  ;  ave.  9  yrs.  Apr.  23. 

Spring  departure — May  9  (1891-1897) — May 
13  (1894);  ave.  3  yrs.  May  10. 

Fall  arrival— Oct.  5  (1890)— Oct.  18  (1909); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Oct.  10. 

158.  Passerella  iliaca  iliaca  Fox  Sparrow,  "fox- 
colored    sparrow,"    "hedge    sparrow."      Tolerably 
common  transient ;  occurs  usually  in  small  flocks. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Feb.  22  (1888) — Mar.  25 
(1905);  ave.  1 8  yrs.  Mar.  13. 

Spring  departure — Mar.  9  (1890) — Apr.  29 
(1896)  ;  ave.  9  yrs.  Apr.  u. 

Fall  arrival  and  departure — Nov.  1-24. 

159.  Pipilo     erythrophthalmus     Towhee,     "che- 
wink,"    "chip-cherry   bird,"    "ground    robin,"    "jo- 
wink,"    "juwink,"   "to-wee,"   "thrush."     Common 
summer  resident,  occasional  resident.     Nesting  data, 
Berwyn,  May  22. 

Berwyn: 

Arrival — Mar.  29  (1904) — Apr.  30  (1907), 
ave.  29  yrs.  Apr.  17. 

Common — Apr.  5  (1902) — May  5  (1901)  ;  ave. 
26  yrs.  Apr.  27. 

Bulk  depart — Sept.  27  (1893) — Oct.  12  (1894)  ; 


Annotated  List  81 


ave.  10  yrs.   Oct.  6. 

Last  seen — Oct.  5  (1900-1912) — Nov.  3 
(1888)  ;  ave.  24  yrs.  Oct.  15. 

The  female  arrives  several  days  later  in  the  spring 
than  given  in  the  first  dates. 

1 60.  Cardinalis    cardinalis    cardinalis    Cardinal, 
"corn    cracker,"     "English   cockatoo,"    "kowbird," 
"rainbird,"   "redbird,"   "red  jay,"   "red   whistler," 
"Virginia  nightingale,"  "winter  redbird."     Toler- 
ably  common   resident,    especially   in   the   swampy 
thickets;    probably  more   common   in  winter.      In 
1909,  T.  H.  Jackson  of  West  Chester,  asserted  that 
it  was  more  common  than  it  was  twenty  years  ago. 
Nesting  records  from  Ma\  9  to  June  12,  at  Berwyn. 

161.  Zamelodia  ludiviciana  Rose-breasted   Gros- 
beak.    Regular,  though  not  common  transient,  and 
rare  summer  resident.     Audubon  found   it  rather 
plentiful  in  the  early  part  of  May,  along  the  banks 
of    the    Schuylkill,    twenty    or    thirty    miles    from 
Philadelphia    (Orn.    Biog.).      Dr.   Warren   found 
it  exceedingly  abundant  in  the  woods  May  11-27, 
1882,  and  fifty  specimens  were  taken.    B.  M.  Ever- 
hart,  also  of  West  Chester,  said  that  twenty-five 
years  ago,  it  was  a  rather  common  summer  resident 
and  that  he  repeatedly  found  its  nest,  eggs  and  young 
(Warren,  Bds.  Pa.,   199)  ;  also,  according  to  Dr. 
Warren,  Titus  Bennett  found  a  nest  and  three  eggs 
near  Deborah's  rock,  East  Bradford  Twp.,  about 

1875. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  7  (1911) — May  17 
(1917)  ;  ave.  8  yrs.  May  n. 


82          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Spring    departure — May    16    (1906) — May    23 

(1917). 

Fall  arrival  and  departure — Sept.  19  (1893)  — 
Oct.  5  (1905). 

162.  Guiraca    ceerulea    ceerulea    Blue    Grosbeak. 
Straggler  from  the  south.     Appears  on  Michener's 
lists,  and  Warren  took  a  specimen  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  county  on  May  10,  about  1885   (Bds.  Pa., 
1890,  248). 

163.  Passerina    cyanea   cyanea    Indigo   Bunting, 
"bluebird,"   "blue   bunting,"   "indigobird,"   "green- 
bird."    Common  summer  resident.     Nest  with  eggs 
May  27-June  18. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  3  (1895) — May  20  (1886)  ;  ave. 
1 6  yrs.  May  12. 

Common — May  6  (1897) — May  30  (1900); 
ave.  12  yrs.  May  17. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  5  (1904) — Oct.  6 
(1914)  ;  ave.  6  yrs.  Sept.  21. 

Last  seen — Sept.  30  (1906) — Dec.  3  (1914); 
ave.  8  yrs.  Oct.  9. 

164.  Spiza  americana  Dickcissel,  "black-throated 
bunting,"  "Maybird."    Formerly  a  summer  resident, 
localized  in  the  southern  and  eastern  parts  of  the 
county.     Michener  considered  it  common,  and  Bar- 
nard records  its  arrival  on  Apr.  27  to  May  3 ;  War- 
ren, in  his  list  of  1879-80,  remarks  that  he  found 
it  rare  and  not  breeding.     A  nest  with  eggs  was 
found  by  Phillips,  near  Avondale,  July  4,  1871   (F. 
and  S.,  vi,  67)  ;  a  nest  and  eggs  was  taken  from  a 
currant   bush    near    the    county    line,    Eagle    hotel 


Annotated  List  83 


(Stratford),  in  1874,  by  D.  N.  McCadden  and  Geo. 
C.  Thayer  (Rhoads,  Cass.,  vii,  24)  ;  another  was 
taken  from  along  an  osage  hedge  in  a  clover  meadow, 
Leopard  (near  Berwyn)  in  1876,  by  my  elder  broth- 
ers and  J.  W.  Sharp,  Jr.,  and  some  of  the  end- 
blown  Bluebird-like  eggs  may  be  seen  in  the  Sharp 
collection  yet.  Pennock  states  that  the  bird  was 
present  up  to  1875  and  recalls  two  localities  where 
he  always  expected  to  find  it  present  in  the  nesting 
season ;  one  was  near  the  village  of  Avondale  and  the 
other  half  a  mile  south  of  Kennett  Square.  He  has 
frequently  heard  the  male  sing  from  scattered  trees 
or  bushes  along  the  roadside  but  never  found  a  nest. 
He  first  became  acquainted  with  it  about  1871,  and 
never  knew  of  more  than  two  or  three  pairs  which 
always  affected  certain  spots  (Rhoads,  Cass.,  vii, 
24).  A.  Palmer  took  a  specimen  in  the  spring  of 
1902  (Thomas  MS.). 

165.  Spiza  townsendi  Townsend's  Bunting. 
Straggler;  unique,  probably  the  last  of  a  decadent 
race.  The  type  and  only  specimen  known  to  science 
was  taken  at  New  Garden,  May  n,  1833;  and  the 
following  is  an  extract  from  the  diary  of  Dr.  Ezra 
Michener:  "This  morning  my  friend  John  K. 
Townsend,  in  company  with  John  Richards,  while 
in  quest  of  birds  for  my  cabinet;  shot  a  bunting  in 
William  Brown's  cedar  grove,  near  New  Garden 
meeting-house,  which  is  believed  a  nondescript.  We 
have  given  it  the  provisional  name  of  Euspiza 
albigula  or  white-throated  bunting."  Audubon  de- 
scribed and  figured  it  in  his  original  work  (Orn. 
Biog.,  ii,  1834,  J83J  pi.  cccc),  and  considered  it  a 


84          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

distinct  species,  but  closely  related  to  S.americana. 
This  specimen  remaining  in  the  collection  of  Dr. 
Michener  for  twenty-four  years,  except  for  the  brief 
time  it  was  in  the  hands  of  Audubon;  and  finally 
presented  it  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  and  it  is 
now  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum. 

1 66.  Piranga     erythromelas     Scarlet     Tanager, 
"black-winged   redbird,"   "redbird,"   "summer   red- 
bird."    Tolerable  common  summer  resident.     Nest- 
ing data:  Bervvyn,  June  i,  1900;  three  eggs. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  25  (1903) — May  16  (1897)  5  ave- 
27  yrs.  May  8. 

Common — May  5  (1906) — May  22  (1897); 
ave.  14  yrs.  May  13. 

Departure — Sept.  15  (1913) — Sept.  25  (1894); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Sept.  22. 

167.  Piranga    rubra    rubra    Summer    Tanager, 
"summer  redbird."    Straggler  from  the  south.    Bar- 
nard considered  it  very  rare,  and  Michener,  a  rare 
summer  resident.    Dr.  Warren  saw  a  pair  May  25, 
1876,  and  a  female  Oct.  10,  1889,  all  in  West  Ches- 
ter, (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  252). 

168.  Probne  subis  subis  Purple   Martin,   "black 
martin,"  "martin,"  "swallow."    Tolerable  common 
summer  resident.    Colonies  have  been  established  in 
the  past  at  Oxford,  Avondale,  Marshallton,   Len- 
ape,  West  Chester,  Downingtown,  Lionville,  Byer's, 
Malvern,  Berwyn,  Paulding's  bridge,  Cupola  and 
probably  other  points.    Nidification  commences  soon 
after  arrival  and  the  set  is  complete  by  June  I. 

Berwyn: 


Annotated  List  85 


Arrival — Mar.  27  (1913) — Apr.  30  (1905); 
ave.  13  yrs.  Apr.  18. 

Common — Apr.  18  (1889) — May  4  (1901); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Apr.  28. 

Departure — Aug.  18  (1900) — Sept.  24  (1896); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Aug.  26. 

169.  Petrochelidon  lunifrons  lunifrons  Cliff  Swal- 
low, "barn  swallow,"  "eave  swallow,"  "mud  swal- 
low."   Not  common  transient,  and  rather  rare  and 
altogether  local  summer  resident ;  formerly  consider- 
ed common.     Pennock  states  that  four  or  five  sta- 
tions about  Kennett  Square  and  one  at  Lenape  are 
deserted    (Cass.,   vi,    52) ;    Sharpies   remembers   a 
colony  in  1870  on  the  S.  E.  wall  of  an  old  mill  at 
Milltown,  near  West  Chester;  and  Wilson  reports 
that  in  1880,  fifteen  or  sixteen  pairs  came  to  an  old 
stone  building  on  the  mill  property  of  David  Y. 
Wilson,  West  Marlborough  Twp.,  and  built  their 
nests  for  three  or  four  years.    A  set  of  five  eggs  was 
taken  near  Berwyn,  July  25,  1896.    Warren  states 
that  it  arrives  Apr.  28  to  May  3. 

170.  Hirundo  erythrogastra  Barn  Swallow.  Com- 
mon summer  resident,  less  commonly  than  formerly 
however.    Completed  nests  by  May  13. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  13  (1912) — May  3  (1907)  ;  ave. 
25  yrs.  Apr.  22. 

Common — Apr.  15  (1912) — May  9  (1904); 
ave.  23  yrs.  Apr.  28. 

Departure — Aug.  19  (1898) — Sept.  u  (1902); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Aug.  29. 

171.  Iridoprocne  bicolor  Tree  Swallow,  "white- 


86          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

bellied  swallow."  Not  common  transient,  and  pos- 
sibly a  rare  summer  resident.  Michener,  Warren 
and  Pennock  considered  it  common,  but  Mont- 
gomery found  it  unfrequent,  taking  two  specimens 
and  observed  two  others  on  Apr.  25,  1891,  by  the 
Brandywine,  and  saw  another  three  days  later  in 
West  Goshen. 

Dr.  Warren  informed  me  that  he  had  observed 
several  along  the  Brandywine,  several  times  during 
the  summer  of  1889.  Arrives  Apr.  17  (1914)  — 
Apr.  25  (1891). 

172.  Riparia  riparia  Bank  Swallow,  "sand  swal- 
low."    Not  common  transient.    Apr.  25  to  May  2, 
according  to  Barnard.     Although  this  species  has 
been  known  to  breed  in  large  colonies  in  the  adjoin- 
ing counties,  and  there  are  numerous  local  reports 
of  its  presence  and  nesting;    I  have  been  unable  to 
confirm  a  single  one  with  specimens,  and   neither 
Stone  nor  Montgomery  round  it  nesting.    However, 
if  we   are   to   credit   the   statements  of   Audubon, 
Michener  and  others,  it  was  formerly  a  common 
summer  resident  along  the  Schuylkill,  Brandywine, 
and  other  parts  of  the  county ;  now  apparently  large- 
ly or  altogether  displaced  by  S.  serripennis. 

173.  Stelgidopteryx     serripennis     Rough-winged 
Swallow,  "bank  swallow,"  "bridge  swallow,"  "sand 
martin,"  "sand  swallow."     Common  summer  resi- 
dent, especially  along  the  Schuylkill  and   Brandy- 
wine.    Nesting  data:   Chester  valley,  June  3,  1895, 
five  eggs.     Migration  data  from  all  sources: 

Arrival — Apr.     18    (1908) — May     13    (1909); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Apr.  30. 


Annotated  List  87 


Common — Apr.   25    (1896) — May    13    (1904); 
ave.  4  yrs.  May  7. 

174.  Bomby  cilia    garrula    Bohemian    Waxwing. 
Straggler  from  the  north.    The  only  authentic  rec- 
ord appears  to  be  that  of  H.  B.  Graves  in   1860 
(Warren,  Bds.  Pa.,  244). 

175.  Bomby cilia     cedrorum     Cedar     Waxwing, 
"cedarbird,"  "cedar  lark,"  "cherrybird,"  "Quaker- 
bird."     Common  transient  and  resident;  gregarious 
except  when  breeding.     While  Montgomery  found 
it  only  once  in  winter  about  West  Chester,   and 
there  are  no  mention  of  this  species  in  the  Christmas 
censo-horizons ;    nevertheless   wandering    flocks   are 
not  unusual  thoroughout  the  winter.    Nesting  data : 
Berwyn,  June  24,  1899,  four  eggs. 

176.  Lanius  borealis  Northern  Shrike,  "butcher- 
bird."     Not    common    winter    visitant,    Nov.    28 
(i904)-Apr.  6  (1890). 

177.  Lanius      ludovicanus      migrans      Migrant 
Shrike.    Rare  transient.    Dr.  Montgomery  shot  two 
males,  West  Goshen,  Mar.  28,   1896,  first  county 
records;  and  the  skins  are  now  in  the  Philadelphia 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences.     C.  J.  Pennock  re- 
ported it  at  Kennett  Square,  Dec.   12,   1901,  and 
I.  G.  Roberts  noted  an  individual  at  New  London, 
Sept.  3  and  Oct.  14,  1912,  at  Landenburg  (Cass., 
v,  50. 

178.  Vireosylva    olivacea    Red-eyed    Vireo,    "fly- 
catcher,"  "greenlet,"   "hangbird."    Abundant  sum- 
mer resident.    Nidification  begins  May  2028 ;  aver- 
age date  for  complete  set,  June  8.     Extreme  dates 
for  fresh  eggs,  May  28 — July  24. 


88          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  21  (1893) — May  12  (1914)  ;  ave. 
25  yrs.  May  4. 

Common — Apr.  29  (1893) — May  17  (1902- 
1917)  ;  ave.  23  yrs.  May  10. 

Bulk  departure — Aug.  31  (1903) — Oct.  7  (1895- 
1897)  >*  ave-  *3  yrs-  Sept.  21. 

Last  seen — Sept.  18  (1891-1901) — Oct.  26 
(1900) ;  ave.  20  yrs.  Oct.  6. 

179.  Vireosylva  philadelphica  Philadelphia  Vireo. 
Rare  transient.     Josiah  Hoopes  captured  specimens 
at  West  Chester,  Sept.  30  and  Oct.  6,  1891  (Stone, 
Bds.  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  126)  ;  and  I  shot  an  adult 
female  (No.  685,  coll.  F.  L.  B.)  Sept.  19,  1898,  at 
Berwyn  (Wils.  Bull.,  24,  7)  ;  the  above  appear  to 
be  the  only  records  for  the  county. 

1 80.  Vireosylva  gilva  gilva  Warbling  Vireo.  Tol- 
erable common  summer  resident.  W.  L.  Baily  found 
newly  made  nest  at  Paoli,  May  18,  1891. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  30  (1906-1908) — May  12 
(1914)  ;  ave.  14  yrs.  May  7. 

Common — May  8  (1916) — May  15  (1915); 
ave  3  yrs.  May  n. 

Departure — Sept.  4  (1913) — Oct.  7  (1910); 
ave.  8  yrs.  Sept.  19. 

181.  Lanivireo  flavifrons  Yellow-throated  Vireo. 
Not  common  summer  resident.    W.  S.  Hall  took  a 
set  of  eggs,   Willistown,   July   2,    1884;    and   the 
writer  found   two  nests:    Valley  Forge,  June   11, 
1885,  and  Berwyn,  June  18,  1899. 

Berwyn: 


Photo  by  A.  C.  Redfield 

WHITE-EYED  VIREO  ON   NEST 


Photo  by  T.  H.  Jackson 

BLACK  AND  WHITE  WARBLER  NEST  AND  EGGS 


Annotated  List  89 


Arrival — May  I  (1904) — May  16  (1896)  ;  ave. 
3  yrs.  May  9. 

182.  Lanivireo   solitarius   solitarius    Blue-headed 
Vireo.     Tolerable  common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  17  (1916) — May  10 
(1890)  ;  ave.  10  yrs.  Apr.  27. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  23  (1890) — Oct.  16  (1891)  ; 
ave.  5  yrs.  Oct.  6. 

183.  Vireo    griseus    griseus    White-eyed    Vireo. 
Rather  local,  not  common  summer  resident.     Nest- 
ing data:  Berwyn,  June  13,  1888;  four  eggs. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  5  (1892) — May  23  (1915)  ;  ave. 
6  yrs.  May  12. 

Departure — Sept.  4  (1894) — Oct-  J  (1906); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Sept.  18. 

184.  Mniotilta  varia  Black  and  White  Warbler, 
"creeper,"    "little    sapsucker."      Rather    abundant 
transient  and  tolerable  common  summer   resident, 
especially  on   the  Chester  valley  and   Brandy  wine 
hills;  though  it  is  probable  a  great  proportion  do 
not  breed.     Rhoads  records  it  feeding  its  young  at 
Westtown  in  1878  (B.  N.  O.  C.,  iv,  234)  ;  Everett 
took  the  first  set  of  eggs  June  10,  1885,  near  Mal- 
vern   (Orn.  and  Ool.,  xii,  25);  Ladd  found  two 
sets  now  in  the  Norris  collection,  June  6,  1886  and 
May  29,  1887,  Brandywine  hills  (Orn.  and  Ool., 
xii,    150)  ;  Sharpies  has  a  personally  collected  set 
from  along  the  Brandywine,  and  Jackson  found  a 
nest  near  the  latter  locality  June  26,  1903,  another 
near  Glenlock,  and  one  with  young  June  6,  1890, 


9O          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

near  Whiteland  station.  I  flushed  five  young  from 
nest  at  Berwyn  on  June  3,  1896,  and  have  observed 
fledgings  almost  every  season  (Chapman's  Warblers 
of  N.  A.,  42). 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  17  (1900) — May  6  (1893-6); 
ave.  23  yrs.  May  I. 

Bulk  arrival — Apr.  29  (1914) — May  13  (1899- 
1900)  ;  ave.  16  yrs.  May  5. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  13  (1916) — Sept.  28 
(1913)  ;  ave.  2  yrs.  Sept.  20. 

Last  seen— Sept.  18  (1888)— Oct.  7  (1895); 
ave.  6  yrs.  Sept.  27. 

185.  Protonotaria   citra    Prothonotary   Warbler. 
Straggler.     Michener  and  Warren  give  it  as  an  ex- 
tremely  rare  summer  resident.     Dr.  Warren  has 
taken  two  specimens,  one  in  midsummer,  the  other 
in  May   (Bds.  Pa.,   1890,  274). 

1 86.  Helmitheros       vermivorus       Worm-eating 
Warbler.    Common  summer  resident,  rather  abund- 
ant in  the  second  growth  timber  of  the  Octoraro, 
Brandywine   and   Chester  Valley  hills.     The   first 
authentic  description  of  the  nest  and  eggs  was  pub- 
lished by  T.  H.  Jackson  (Am.  Nat.,  3,  556)  from 
the  type  set  of  five  taken  near  West  Chester,  June 
6,   1869,  and  it  has  been  found  breeding  the  past 
thirty  years  with  increasing  frequency  by  Jackson, 
Ladd,  Burns  and  others  (Cf.  Rhoads,  B.  N.  O.  C., 
vii,  55;   Jackson,  Orn.  and  Ool.,  x,  176;   xi,  156; 
Ladd,  Ibid.,  xii,  no,  and  149;    Norris,  Ibid.,  xv, 
117;    Norris,  Jr.,  Nid.,  i,  165;    Burns,  Bd.  Lore, 
vii,  137;  Chapman's  Warblers  N.  A.,  50).    Nidifi- 


Annotated  List  91 


cation  begins  a  few  days  after  arrival  and  in  the 
fifty  or  more  records  in  the  vicinity  of  Berwyn,  the 
average  date  for  a  complete  set  is  May  28. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  30  (1916) — May  14  (1896)  ;  ave. 
1 8  yrs.  May  7. 

Common — May  5  (1905) — May  19  (1901); 
ave.  13  yrs.  May  12. 

Departure — Aug.  29  (1896-1902) — Sept.  2 
(1898)  ;  ave.  5  yrs.  Sept.  I. 

187.  Vermivora    pinus     Blue-winged     Warbler. 
Common  summer  resident,  apparently  most  abund- 
ant in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  especially  about 
Birmingham  (Norris,  Jr.,  Orn.  and  Ool,  xiv,  138) 
and  Berwyn   (Burns,  Wils.  Bull.,  35,  39).     Also 
found  breeding  at  Kennett  Square,  by  Phillips  (F. 
and    S.,    vi,    215);     West    Chester,    by    Rhoads, 
(Coues,   B.  N.  O.  C.,  iii,    194)  ;    Willistown,  by 
Hall  (Orn.  and  Ool.,  9,  137).     Nidification  com- 
mences soon  after  arrival;    average  date  for  com- 
plete set  May  29   (Burns  in  Chapman's  Warblers 
N.A.,67). 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  3  (1900-1905) — May  15  (1896)  ; 
ave.  21  yrs.  May  6. 

Common — May  3  (1900) — May  17  (1917); 
ave.  12  yrs.  May  8. 

Departs — Aug.  13  (1890) — Sept.  6  (1897); 
ave.  4  yrs.  Aug.  24. 

1 88.  Vermivora       chrysoptera       Golden-winged 
Warbler.    Rare  transient.    I  have  no  fall  dates  and 
include  all  spring  records  available:   May  4  (1902) 


92          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

— May  25  (1907),  ave.  10  records  May  n. 

189.  Vermivora    rubricapilla    rubricapilla    Nash- 
ville Warbler.     Not  common  transient. 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  28  (1915) — May  15 
(1904);  ave.  9  records  May  7. 

Fall  arrival— Sept.  13  (1912)— Oct.  8  (1891); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Oct.  I. 

190.  Vermivora    celata    celata   Orange-crowned 
Warbler.     Straggler.     I  took  an  adult  male   (No. 
519,   coll.   F.   L.   B.)    at  Berwyn,   Oct.   12,    1894 
(Wils.  Bull.,  1 8,  5),  first  county  and  third  State 
record. 

191.  Vermivora    peregrina   Tennessee    Warbler. 
Not  common  transient,  formerly  quite  rare. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  2  (1912) — May  13 
(1917) ;  ave.  3  yrs.  May  9. 

Spring  departure — May  17  (1917) — May  21 
(1916);  ave.  2  yrs.  May  19. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  12  (1913) — Oct.  6  (1917); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Sept.  27. 

Fall  departure — Oct.  6  (1915) — Oct.  8  (1914)  ; 
ave.  3  yrs.  Oct.  7. 

192.  Compsothlypis   americana    usnea    Northern 
Parula  Warbler,   Common,  some  times  abundant, 
transient.     According  to  Pennock,  M.  P.  Barnard 
of  Kennett  Square,  shot  one  in  July,   1884;    and 
Warren  informs  us  that  he  has  seen  individuals  as 
late  as  June  27  (Bds.  Pa.,  245). 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  29  (1914) — May  II 
(1904)  ;  ave.  8  yrs.  May  7. 


Annotated  List  93 


Spring  bulk-May  7  (1905) — May  20  (1915); 
ave.  8  yrs.  May  13. 

Spring  departure — May  10  (1903) — May  23 
(1889)  ;  ave.  9  yrs.  May  15. 

Fall  arrival— Sept.  5  (1895)— Oct.  27  (1893); 
ave.  6  yrs.  Sept.  21. 

Fall  departure — Sept.  21  (1898) — Oct.  31 
(1893)  J  ave.  9  yrs.  Oct.  6. 

193.  Dendroica    tigrina    Cape     May    Warbler, 
"grapebird,"  "little  striped  yellowbird."     Common, 
sometimes  abundant,  transient;   formerly  quite  rare 
(Burns,  Auk.  xxxii,  231). 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  7  (1916) — May  15 
(1914);  ave.  15  yrs.  May  n. 

Spring  departure — May  15  (1910) — May  24 
(1916)  ;  ave.  7  yrs.  May  19. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  3  (1916) — Sept.  16  (1917); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Sept.  9. 

Fall  bulk — Sept.  7  (1914) — Sept.  14  (1913); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Sept.  10. 

Fall  departure — Sept.  25  (1909) — Oct.  20 
(1914)  ;  ave.  6  yrs.  Oct.  6. 

194.  Dendroica  tzstiva  tzstiva  Yellow  Warbler, 
"summer    yellowbird."       Not    common    transient 
and  rather  rare  summer  resident;    formerly  consid- 
ered rather  abundant  in  the  southern  and  central 
parts  of  the  county.     J.  P.  Norris,  Jr.  found  only 
one  nest,  and  a  few  nests  have  been  found  in  recent 
years  by  Thomas   at   Kennett   Square,   and   Burn 
at  Oxford. 

Arrival — Apr.  22  (1917) — May  19  (1913);  ave. 


94         The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

10  yrs.   May  6. 
Common — May  7,   1905. 
Last  seen — Sept.   19,   1893;    Sept.  20,   1894. 

195.  Dendroica    carulescens    carulescens    Black- 
throated  Blue  Warbler,    Common,  sometimes  abun- 
dant, transient. 

Spring  arrival — May  I  (1912) — May  21 
(1899)  ;  ave.  18  yrs.  May  8. 

Common — May  7  (1909-1914-1916) — May  23 
(1899);  ave-  1 6  yrs.  May  12. 

Departure — May  8  (1909) — June  3  (1917); 
ave.  14  yrs.  May  18. 

Fall  arrival— Sept.  8  (1898)— Sept.  28  (1914); 
ave.  7  yrs.  Sept.  16. 

Common— Sept.  8  (1898)— Sept.  28  (1913); 
ave.  2  yrs.  Sept.  18. 

Last  seen — Sept.  16  (1905) — Nov.  4  (1917); 
ave.  1 6  yrs.  Sept.  27. 

196.  Dendroica  coronata  Myrtle  Warbler,  "yel- 
low-rump"    Common  transient,  occasional  winter 
visitant. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  7  (1893) — May  2  (1914)  ; 
ave.  8  yrs.  Apr.  24. 

Common — May  4  (1888) — Mayv  12  (1906); 
ave.  6  yrs.  May  6. 

Departure — Apr.  30  (1916) — May  17  (1917); 
ave.  10  yrs.  May  9. 

Fall  arrival— Sept.  5  (1888)— Sept.  30  (1911); 
ave.  4  yrs.  Sept.  21. 

Last  seen — Oct.  8  (1908) — Oct.  27  (1893) ;  ave. 
7  yrs.  Oct.  18. 


Annotated  List  95 


197.  Dendroica   auduboni   Audubon's    Warbler, 
Straggler.    Dr.  Warren  secured  a  fine  adult  female, 
Nov.  8,  1889,  in  an  apple  orchard,  in  company  with 
Juncos   and   White-throated   Sparrows    (Bds.   Pa., 
1890,  283).     This  is  the  first  record  for  Pennsyl- 
vania and  the  second  for  the  East.    The  specimen  is 
now  in  his  private  collection. 

198.  Dendroica    magnolia    Magnolia    Warbler. 
Common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  5  (1909) — May  17 
(1917)  ;  ave.  10  yrs.  May  n. 

Common — May  13  (1904) — May  21  (1899); 
ave.  5  yrs.  May  15. 

Departure — May  16  (1914) — May  30  (1917); 
ave.  8  yrs.  May  21. 

Fall  arrival— Aug.  18  (1888-1896)— Sept.  7 
(1893)  ;  ave.  5  yrs.  Aug.  29. 

Last  seen — Sept.  19  (1893) — Oct.  7  (1895- 
1917)  ;  ave.  n  yrs.  Sept.  27. 

199.  Dendroica  cerula  Cerulean  Warbler.    Rare 
transient.     Listed  by  Barnard,  Michener,  Warren 
and  Pennock.    Dr.  Montgomery  shot  a  female  in  a 
swamp  in  West  Goshen,  May  10,  1890,  and  the  skin 
is  now   in  the  collection   of   the  Academy  of   the 
Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia.     Dr.  Ehinger  re- 
ported  one  seen  and  carefully  identified   at  West 
Chester,  May  9,  1914. 

200.  Dendroica      pensylvanica      Chestnut  -  sided 
Warbler.      Common    transient,    and    rare   summer 
resident.     Dr.  Warren  saw  two,  June  25,    1876, 
probably   breeding.      Pennock   in   behalf   of   S.   B. 


g6          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Ladd,  recorded  the  nesting  of  this  bird  on  the  South 
Valley  hills  not  far  from  Frazer,  May  27,  1900 
(Abst.  Proc.  Del.  Orn.  Club,  iv,  4),  the  set  of  four 
eggs  are  now  in  the  Norris  collection ;  Pennock  ob- 
served a  single  bird  in  deciduous  woods  two  miles 
beyond  the  serpentine  barrens  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  county  and  not  more  than  250  feet  above  sea 
level,  on  June  16,  1911  (Auk,  xxix,  247)  ;  and  I 
found  a  nest  with  two  young  and  one  infertile  egg 
at  Berwyn,  July  10,  1914  (Wils.  Bull.,  90,  288). 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  30  (1916) — May  16  (1917)  ;  ave. 
10  yrs.  May  8. 

Common — May  8  (1909) — May  23  (1915-16)  ; 
ave.  8  yrs.  May  14. 

Departure— Sept.  28  (1889)— Oct.  8  (1891); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Oct.  3. 

201.  Dendroica  castanea  Bay-breasted  Warbler. 
Not  common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  8  (1909) — May  18 
(1917)  ;  ave.  4  yrs.  May  13. 

Spring  departure — May  19  (1905) — May  30 
(1917)  ;  ave.  5  yrs.  May  23. 

Fall  departure — Sept.  16  (1891) — Oct.  5 
(1895)  I  ave.  3  yrs.  Sept.  26. 

202.  Dendroica  striata  Black-poll  Warbler.  Com- 
mon transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring     arrival — May     12     (1914) — May     16 
(1896);  ave.  4  yrs.  May   16. 
Spring    departure — May     16     (1904) — June     I 


Annotated  List  97 


(1917)  ;  ave.  4  yrs.  May  27. 

Fall  arrival— Sept.  4  (1894)— Sept.  28  (1914)  ; 
ave.  4  yrs.  Sept.  14. 

Fall  departure — Sept.  27  (1913) — Oct.  18 
(1914)  ;  ave.  3  yrs.  Oct.  7. 

203.  Dendrolca    fusca    Blackburnian    Warbler. 
Not  common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  8  (1909) — May  22 
(1917);  ave.  6  yrs.  May  15. 

Spring  departure — May  14  (1914) — May  27 
(1917)  ;  ave.  2  yrs.  May  20. 

Fall  arrival— Aug.  18  (1896)— Sept.  7  (1891); 
ave.  4  yrs.  Aug.  26. 

Fall  departure — Sept.  5  (1898) — Sept.  19 
(1890-1891)  ;  ave.  3  yrs.  Sept.  14. 

204.  Dendroica     dominica      dominica      Yellow- 
throated  Warbler.    A  straggler  from  the  south.  Dr. 
Warren  has  two  specimens  in  his  collection,  both 
males,  taken  June  27,  1879,  and  July,  1885   (Bds. 
Pa.,  1890,  288). 

205.  Dendroica     virens     Black-throated     Green 
Warbler.    Common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  30  (1908-1916) — May  9 
(1912)  ;  ave.  n  yrs.  May  4. 

Spring  bulk — May  3  (1914) — May  19  (1913)  ; 
ave.  1 1  yrs.  May  9. 

Spring  departure — May  7  (1916) — June  I 
(1917)  ;  ave.  n  yrs.  May  14. 

Fall  arrival — Aug.  28  (1896) — Sept.  24  (1916)  ; 
ave.  ii  yrs.  Sept.  10. 


98          The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Fall  departure — Sept.  17  (1891) — Oct.  7  (1895- 
1917) ;  ave.  8  yrs.  Sept.  28. 

206.  Dendroica  townsendi  Townsend's  Warbler. 
Straggler  from  the  far  west.    C.  D.  Wood,  a  Phila- 
delphia   taxidermist,    killed    an    adult    male    near 
Coatesville,  in  an  apple  orchard;  May   12,    1868. 
Sole  Eastern  record.     This  specimen  was  sold  for 
$40  to  Dr.  Turnbull,  and  after  his  death  purchased 
by  B.  A.  Hoopes,  who  subsequently  disposed  of  it  to 
John  Krider   (Warren,  Bds.  Pa.,  246).     It  later 
came  into  the  possession  of  Prof.  E.  D.  Cope,  and  is 
now  in  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Philadel- 
phia (Stone,  Osprey,  iii,  98). 

207.  Dendroica  vigorsi  Pine  Warbler.     Not  com- 
mon transient.     Barnard  states  that  it  arrives  May 
12  to  20;  the  only  other  spring  dates  we  have  are 
Berwyn,  May  6,  1905,  and  Kennett  Square,  May 
16,    1914,    and    Apr.    17,    1915    (Thomas    MS.). 
Montgomery  considered  it  common,  and  offered  the 
following  occurrences:   Oct.    1-8,    1887;   Sept.    19, 
1889;  Sept.  17  to  Oct.  1 8,  1890. 

208.  Dendroica    palmarum    hypochrysea    Yellow 
Palm  Warbler.    Not  common  transient.   Dr.  Mont- 
gomery shot  five  specimens  and  saw  a  few  others  in 
April,  1891.     Dr.  Warren  gives  it  as  an  abundant 
migrant,  Apr.  20  to  30.    I  secured  a  pair  in  Devon 
swamp,  Oct.  7,  1895   (Nos.  568  and  569,  coll.  F. 
L.  B.).    Migration  records  from  all  sources: 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  9  (1915) — Apr.  25  (1897- 
1915)  ;  ave.  8  yrs.  Apr.  19. 

Fall  arrival— Oct.  7  (1895)— Oct.  24  (1908); 
ave.  2  yrs.  Oct.  15. 


Annotated  List  99 


209.  Dendroica  discolor  Prairie  Warbler.     Rare 
transient,  and  common  summer  resident  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  county.    Dr.  Montgomery  has  seen 
it  only  on  two  dates,  May  10,  1890,  when  three  were 
seen  and  a  female  secured,  and  on  May  2,   1897. 
Dr.  Warren  observed  it  on  different  occasions  dur- 
ing the  summer  months  on  the  Barren  ridge  (Bds. 
Pa.,  1890,  293)  ;  Pennock  and  Carter  found  it  quite 
abundant  and  probably  breeding  in  the  serpentine 
barrens  of  the  southern  border,  June  16,  1911  (Auk, 
xxix,  245 )  ;  and  Burn  saw  a  male  near  Chrome,  in 
the  same  locality,  on  July  3,   1916. 

Spring     arrival — May     2      (1897) — May     25 

(1907)  ;  ave.  4  yrs.  May  n. 

210.  Seiurus     aurocapillus     Ovenbird,     "ground 
thrush."    Abundant  summer  resident.    Nidification 
begins  about  May  18;  average  date  for  complete 
set,  May  29. 

Berwyn: 

Arrival — Apr.  13  (1890) — May  12  (1888-9); 
ave.  28  yrs.  Apr.  30. 

Common — Apr.  28  (191011) — May  13  (1902) ; 
ave.  26  yrs.  May  5. 

Bulk  departure — Aug.  29  (1896-1902) — Oct.  3 

(1908)  ;  ave.  8  yrs.  Sept.  9. 

Last  seen— Sept.  12  (1913)— Oct.  7  (1897); 
ave.  9  yrs.  Sept.  25. 

211.  Seiurus  noveboracensis  noveboracensis  Wa- 
ter-Thrush.    Not  common.     Montgomery  took  a 
specimen  on  May  10,  1890,  West  Goshen  Twp.,  and 
I  secured  another  at  Berwyn,  Sept.  22,  1906  (No. 
892,  coll.  F.  L.  B.). 


IOO        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  14  (1912) — May  10 
(1890)  ;  ave.  5  yrs.  May  7. 

Spring  departure — May  14  (1912) — May  30 
(1907)  ;  ave.  3  yrs.  May  25. 

212.  Seiurus  motacilla  Louisiana  Water-Thrush. 
Rare  summer  resident.     Warren  has  taken  a  few 
specimens  in  summer  (Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  295)  ;   Jack- 
son and  Ladd  searched  a  ravine  near  Whitford,  for 
several  seasons  without  locating  its  nest,  though  a 
pair  of  this  elusive  species  was  present.     A   pair 
inhabited   an  extensive  and  well  watered  tract  of 
woods  near   Daylesford,   for  several  years,   and    I 
found  one  young  bird   apparently  just  out  of   the 
nest,  June  3,  1899;   a  pair  was  present  on  May  6, 
1906  and  May  8,  1909,  but  the  nest  was  not  found 
(Wils.  Bull.,  28,  75;    59,  73).     Pennock  took  a 
specimen  at  Kennett  Square,  Apr.   19,  1909. 

213.  Oporornis    formosus     Kentucky     Warbler, 
"yellowbird."       Common   summer    resident,   often 
rather  abundant  in  the  vicinity  of  Birmingham  meet- 
ing house,  West   Chester   and   Berwyn;    formerly 
quite  rare  (Cf.  Rhoads,  B.  N.  O.  C,  iv,  234;  Hall, 
Jackson,  Norris,  Jr.,  Norris,  Sr.,  Orn.  and  Ool.,  ix, 
137;    xii,  43;    xiv,  104;  xv,  145;  xvii,  i;  Norris, 
Jr.,  Nid.  i,  165;    and  Burns  in  Chapman's  Warb- 
lers N.  A.,   237).     Nidification  commences  about 
May  25;   in  thirty  instances  the  average  date  for  a 
complete  set  of  eggs  is  June  3. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  3  (1896-1900) — May  16(1917)  ; 
ave.  17  yrs.  May  8. 

Common — May      9       (1904-1910) — May      22 


Photo   by  A.   C.   Redfield 

WORM-EATING    WARBLER    NEST    AND    EGGS 


Photo  by  A.  C.  Redfield 

BLUE-WINGED    WARBLER    NEST    AND    EGGS 


Annotated  List  101 


(1897);    ave-  J5  vrs- 

Departure — Aug.  n  (1902) — Sept.  14  (1896); 
ave.  9  yrs.  Aug.  23. 

214.  Oporornis  agilis  Connecticut  Warbler.  Rare 
transient.      Dr.    Montgomery    collected    specimens 
Sept.  20  and  28,  1889,  and  saw  another  Sept.  25, 
all  in  West  Goshen ;  and  I  took  single  birds  on  Sept. 
n,  1893  and  Oct.  7,  1897  (Nos.  423  and  636,  coll. 
R  L.  B.).     There  are  no  spring  records. 

Fall  arrival— Sept.  19  (1893)— Oct.  7  (1897); 
ave.  5  records  Sept.  26. 

215.  Oporornis  Philadelphia.     Mourning  Warb- 
ler.   Rare  transient.   Michener  gave  it  as  a  summer 
resident,  extremely  rare.    Four  specimens  have  been 
taken  by  Josiah  Hoopes  and  Witmer  Stone   (Bds. 
E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  139)  ;  and  according  to  Warren, 
Harry  Garrett  of  Willistown  has  also  taken  speci- 
mens.    Pennock  states  that  on  June   19,    1886,  a 
female,  which  had  been  found  a  few  days  before, 
was  brought  to  him,  and  a  male  was  seen  in  the  same 
vicinity  about  June  12.     The  inference  is  that  the 
pair  would  have  nested  in  the  neighborhood  (Ool., 
iii,  46). 

Spring  arrivals — May  15  (1892) — May  27 
(1909);  ave.  6  records.  May  20.  There  are  no 
fall  records. 

2 1 6.  Geothlypis   trichas    trichas    Maryland    Yel- 
lowthroat,   "muff  wren,"   "wild  canary,"   "yellow- 
bird,"  "yellow  wren."     Common  summer  resident. 
Modification  usually  begins  by  May  15  ;  average  date 
for  complete  set,  May  26. 

Berwyn : 


IO2        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Arrival — Apr.  23  (1910) — May  9  (1894)  I  ave. 
2O  yrs.  Apr.  30. 

Common — Apr.  29  (1914) — May  21  (1899); 
ave.  13  yrs.  May  12. 

Bulk  depart— Sept.  4  (1894)— Sept.  25  (1895)  ; 
ave.  6  yrs.  Sept.  16. 

Last  seen — Sept.  19  (1893) — Oct.  u  (1897); 
ave.  14  yrs.  Oct.  2. 

217.  Icteria  virens  virens  Yellow-breasted  Chat, 
"chat,"  "oriole."     Tolerable  common  summer  resi- 
dent;   inclined  to  nest  in  small  colonies.     Nidifica- 
tion  commences  by  May  20;  average  date  for  com- 
plete set,  May  30. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — May  2  (1904) — May  19  (1917)  ;  ave. 
12  yrs.  May  9. 

Common — May  12  (1905) — May  26  (1914); 
ave.  9  yrs.  May  16. 

Bulk  depart — Aug.  8  (1900) — Sept.  4  (1894); 
ave.  2  yrs.  Aug.  21. 

Last  seen — Aug.  21  (1896) — Sept.  4  (1894); 
ave.  3  yrs.  Aug.  27. 

218.  Wilsonia   citrina    Hooded    Warbler.      Not 
common  transient.    A  female  taken  at  Berwyn,  May 
II,  1898  (No.  644,  coll.  F.  L.  B.). 

The  only  autumnal  record  I  have  is  that  of  an 
adult  male  found  dead  in  a  yard  in  West  Chester 
Sept.  28,  1915,  by  R.  P.  Sharpies,  and  now  in  the 
possession  of  Miss  Sara  DeHaven. 

Spring  arrival — May  i  (1909) — May  4  (1912)  ; 
ave.  4  records  May  3. 

Spring  departure — May  n   (1899-1909-1910) — 


Annotated  List  103 


May  14  (1914)  ;  ave.  6  records  May  12. 

219.  Wilsonia  pusilla  pusilla  Wilson's  Warbler. 
Tolerably  common  transient.     I  took  a  female  with 
black  cap  on  May  18,  1896,  at  Berwyn.  (No.  596, 
coll.  F.  L.  B.).     There  are  no  fall  records  avail- 
able. 

Spring  arrival — May  8  (1909) — May  20 
(1917)  ;  ave.  n  records  May  13. 

Spring  departure — May  16  (1902-1905)  — 
May  30  (1907)  ;  ave.  12  yrs.  May  19. 

220.  Wilsonia  canadensis  Canada  Warbler.   Tol- 
erably common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — May  9  (1909) — May  22 
{1917),  ave.  9  yrs.  May  16. 

Spring  departure — May  16  (1896) — May  30 
(1907-1917)  ;  ave.  6  yrs.  May  22. 

Fall  arrival — Aug.  13  (1891) — Aug.  26  (1898)  ; 
ave.  2  yrs.  Aug.  19. 

Fall  Departure — Aug.  31  (1891) — Sept.  8 
(1898)  ;  ave.  2  yrs.  Sept.  4. 

221.  Setophaga    ruticilla     Redstart.       Common, 
sometimes   abundant,    transient,    and    rare   summer 
resident.     Dr.  Warren   thinks  it  probably  breeds. 
I  found  it  present  and  in  song  at  Berwyn  on  June 
9,   16  and  27,   1907    (Wils.  Bull.,  61,   163),  also 
June  8,  1915,  and  while  it  probably  bred,  no  nests 
or  young  were  found. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  27  (1911-1913) — May  8 
(1895)  J  ave.  13  yrs.  May  4. 

Spring    departure — May     n     (1895) — June     I 


IO4        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

(19101917)  ;   ave.  18  yrs.  May  22. 

Fall  arrival — Aug.  8  (1914) — Sept.  u  (1893); 
ave.  13  yrs.  Aug.  27. 

Fall  departure — Sept.  6  (1897) — Oct.  3  (1894)  J 
ave.  12  yrs.  Sept.  21. 

222.  Anthus   rubtscens    Pipit,    "titlark."      Irreg- 
ular winter  visitant.     Montgomery  observed  a  flock 
of  100  individuals  Apr.  14,  1888,  and  Pennock  the 
same  number  on  Apr.  u,  1912. 

Arrival — Oct.  8  (1911) — Dec.  25  (1907-1911); 
ave.  4  yrs.  Nov.  18. 

Departure — Mar.  20  (1908) — May  10  (1915)  ; 
ave.  10  yrs.  Apr.  12. 

223.  Mimus  polyglottos  polyglottos  Mockingbird. 
Rare  resident.     Dr.  Michener  gives  it  as  a  summer 
resident;  Barnard  took  a  nest  and  parent  birds  one 
mile  east  of  Kennett  Square,  and  another  specimen 
was  shot  near  the  same  place  in  1872,  according  to 
Pennock.      From    B.    M.    Everhart,    Dr.   Warren 
learned  that  about   1859,  several  individuals  built 
nests  and  reared  young  for  two  or  three  consecu- 
tive years  in  the  thorn  hedges  on  the  property  of  the 
Misses  Bennett,  West  Chester.     Several  stragglers 
have  occurred:  Eagle  (Strafford)  about  1880,  col- 
lected by  D.  N.  McCadden   (Stone,  Bds.  E.  Pa. 
and  N.  J.,  142)  ;  Berwyn,  one  observed  about  my 
yard  from  Nov.  n  to  Dec.  2,  1909  (Redfield,  Cass., 
xiv,  44)  ;  Kennett  Square,  Dec.  15,  1910,  to  Jan.  4, 
1911,  by  C.  J.  Pennock;  Westtown,  Nov.  and  Dec., 
1914,  by  George  Forsythe,  and  wintering  at  the  same 
place  1914-15,  by  Morris;  and  West  Chester,  Dec. 
25,  1916,  by  Dr.  Ehinger.    That  the  species  is  still 


Annotated  List  105 


with  us  as  a  breeder  is  proven  by  Isaac  G.  Roberts. 
On  June  25,  1915,  he  noticed  a  single  individual 
near  Jennersville,  just  west  of  West  Grove;  and  on 
the  26th  discovered  the  adults,  nest  and  three  young 
which  appeared  to  be  but  a  few  days  old.  On  July 
4  it  was  deserted.  The  nest  was  five  feet  up  in  a 
small  cedar,  at  the  head  of  a  lane  close  to  the  public 
road,  and  not  far  from  a  tall  osage  hedge.  A  single 
bird  was  observed  near  West  Grove,  Aug.  18  and 
21,  1916,  and  Sept.  18,  1917  (Roberts  MS.). 

224.  Dumetella    carolinensis    Catbird,     "cattie," 
"catbird,"  "chickenbird."     Abundant  summer  resi- 
dent.    Nidification  begins  about  May  20;  average 
date  for  complete  set,  May  29. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  22  (1905) — May  9  (1885-1886)  ; 
ave.  32  yrs.  May  2. 

Common — Apr.  27  (1902-1903-1913) — May  14 
(1891-1901 )  ;  ave.  29  yrs.  May  6. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  13  (1905) — Oct.  4 
(1904)  ;  ave.  15  yrs.  Sept.  25. 

Last  seen — Sept.  16  (1896) — Dec.  I  (1898); 
ave.  25  yrs.  Oct.  6. 

225.  Toxostoma      rufrum      Brown      Thrasher, 
"brown  thrush,"  "thrasher,"   "thrush."     Tolerably 
common  summer  resident;  occasional  resident.     A 
single  individual  found  wintering  at  Berwyn,  Feb. 
10,   19  and  21 ;  Mar.  5  and   10,   1915;  Mar.  25, 
1916.     Nidification  begins  about  May  5;  average 
date  for  complete  set,  May  21. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  5   (1910) — May  5   (1889);  ave. 


io6        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

24  yrs.  Apr.  22. 

Common — Apr.  24  (1916) — May  18  (1889); 
ave.  13  yrs.  May  4. 

Bulk  departure — Sept.  3  (1909) — Oct.  i 
(1915) ;  ave.  4  yrs.  Sept.  16. 

Last  seen — Sept.  12  (1903) — Oct.  26  (1889); 
ave.  24  yrs.  Sept.  29. 

226.  Thryothorus  ludovicianus  ludovicianus  Car- 
olina Wren,  "ground  pewee,"  "wren."     Resident; 
most  erratic,  sometimes  almost  abundant  in  the  fall  ; 
frequently  scarce  or  absent.     I  have  records  of  its 
occurrence  in  all  months  in  the  year  except  January 
and  especially  common  in  August  and  September,  at 
Berwyn,  after  several  years  of  scarcity  or  absence; 
during  the  seasons  of  1902-06;  after  which  it  has 
again  become  casual.     It  is  a  rather  scarce  breeder: 
Jackson  found  it  nesting  in  an  outhouse  at  Edge's 
mill,   Beaver  creek;   in  a  shed  at   Edw.   Swayne's 
home,  West  Bradford,  and  near  Laural  station  on 
the  Brandywine.    Sharpies  found  a  pair  nesting  in  a 
springhouse  at  Green  Hill,  1912;  Burn  has  found 
but  a  single  nest  at  Oxford,  and  Thomas  a  nest  and 
eggs  in  a  chickenhouse  at  Kennett  Square,  summer 
of  1912. 

227.  Thryomanes  bewicki  Bewick's  Wren.  Strag- 
gler.    Barnard  classes  it  as  very  rare  and  Michener 
as  a  resident.    The  only  recent  record  is  by  Pennock, 
Kennett  Square,  Apr.  19,  1903  (Cass.,  vii,  70). 

228.  Troglodytes    aedon    aedon    House    Wren, 
"jackywren,"  "jennywren,"  "little  wren."    Common 
summer  resident.     Nesting  data:  Berwyn,  June  I, 
1892;  six  eggs.     It  is  interesting  to  note  in  com- 


Annotated  List  107 


parfson,  that  in  eight  instances  where  the  first  arrival 
was  observed  at  the  home  box  (hence  undoubted 
local  birds)  the  average  date  was  Apr.  26;  while 
the  first  arrivals  in  the  neighborhood  for  the  same 
years  averaged  six  days  earlier. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  16  (1908) — May  6  (1904)  ;  ave. 
24  yrs.  Apr.  24. 

Common — Apr.  18  (1896) — May  10  (1904); 
ave.  21  yrs.  Apr.  30. 

Departure — Sept.  15  (1899) — Nov.  14  (1903); 
ave.  20  yrs.  Oct.  14. 

229.  Nannus    hiemalis    hiemalis    Winter    Wren. 
Not  common  winter  visitant;  represented  by  record 
of  from  one  to  four  individuals  on  most  winter  lists. 

Arrival — Oct.  5  (1894) — Nov.  15  (1913);  ave. 
7  yrs.  Oct.  20. 

Departure — Apr.  n  (1890) — May  2  (1915); 
ave.  5  yrs.  Apr.  25. 

230.  Cistothorus     stellaris     Short-billed     Marsh 
Wren.    Rare  summer  resident.    Barnard  considered 
it  very  rare,  while  Michener  gave  it  as  a  frequent 
summer  resident.    Warren  has  observed  it  as  a  sum- 
mer resident  but  gives  no  dates,  and  Burn  reports 
it  at  Oxford. 

231.  Telmatodytes  palustris  palustris  Long-billed 
Marsh  Wren.     Rare  summer  resident;  frequent  in 
Michener's  time.    Jackson  and  Ladd  took  a  set  of  six 
eggs  from  a  marsh,  at  Lenape,  June  12,  1886  (Orn. 
and  OoL,  xii,  24). 

232.  Certhia  familiaris  familiaris  Brown  Creep- 
er.    Tolerable  common  winter  visitant. 


IO8        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Arrival — Sept.  25  (1890) — Oct.  23  (1896)  ;  ave. 
9  records  Oct.  12. 

Departure — Mar.  26  (1910) — May  I  (1914); 
ave.  10  records  Apr.  15. 

233.  Sitta  carolinensis  carolinensis  White-breast- 
ed Nuthatch,  "sapsucker-,"  "woodpecker."     Toler- 
able common  resident,  less  frequent  in  the  nesting 
season.     Dr.  W.  E.  Rotzell  and  the  writer  took 
a  set  of  nine  eggs  near  Berwyn,  Apr.  27,  1889. 

234.  Sitta    canadensis     Red-breasted     Nuthatch, 
"sapsucker."    Not  common  transient. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  I  (1903) — Sept.  25  (1915); 
ave.  5  records  Sept.  14. 

Fall  departure — Oct.  7  (1916) — Nov.  15 
(1916);  ave.  9  records  Oct.  20. 

Spring  departure — Apr.  27  (1889) — May  10 
(1916);  ave.  5  records  May  4. 

235.  Baolophus  bicolor  Tufted  Titmouse,  "blue- 
bird," "little  jay,"  "tit."  Rare  resident,  noticed  more 
often  during  the  spring  migrations,  especially  Feb- 
ruary, March  and  April.    Wilson  reports  it  a  win- 
ter or  spring  visitant  in  Highland  Twp. ;   Hunt  has 
dates  for  every  month  in  the  year  in  Honeybrook 
and    Nantmeal   Twps.     Jr.ckson    informs   me    that 
it  undoubtedly  breeds  along  the  Brandywine  below 
Downingtown,  but  he  has  never  actually  located  its 
nest.     Pennock,  apparently,  has  found  it  breeding 
but  gives  no  dates ;  Thomas  found  a  nest  at  Kennett 
Square  in  the  summer  of  1908,  date  not  recorded. 

236.  Penthestes   atricapillus   atricapillus   Chicka- 
dee, "chickadee-dee,"  "sapsucker,"  "tit,"  "titmouse," 
"tomtit."    Tolerable  common  winter  visitant.     All 


Annotated  List  109 


our  listmakers  except  Montgomery  give  it  as  resi- 
dent and  breeding;  Hunt  of  Cupola,  Wilson  of 
Gum  Tree  and  Burn  of  Oxford,  however,  return 
it  as  a  winter  visitant;  which  is  in  accord  with  the 
observations  of  Stone,  Montgomery  and  myself.  It 
is  very  erratic  in  arrival  at  Berwyn;  Oct.  6  (1914) 
to  Jan.  13,  (1903)  ;  and  departing  Mar.  5  (1903) 
to  May  i  (1904).  From  Oct.  12,  1913,  to  Apr.  7, 
1914,  it  was  really  common  at  Berwyn,  and  is  said 
to  have  been  present  in  unprecedented  numbers  at 
West  Chester.  I  took  a  pair  in  the  Paoli  barrens, 
Dec.  10,  1892  (Nos.  362  and  363,  coll.  F.  L.  B.). 

237.  Penthestes    carolinensis    carolinensis    Caro- 
lina  Chickadee,   "Carolina   titmouse,"   "sapsucker," 
"titmouse,"  "tit,"  "tomtit."     Not  common  summer 
resident.     Dr.  W.  L.  Hartman,  formerly  of  West 
Chester,  now  of  Pittston;   informs  me  that  he  took 
six  sets  of  four  eggs  each,  in  1864  and  1865,  and  to 
satisfy  John  Krider  of  Philadelphia  that  the  nest 
was  that  of  the  Carolina  Chickadee,  he  shot  the  male 
parent  for  him.     I  have  found  new  nests  near  Ber- 
wyn on  May  6,   1888;    May   16,   1889,  and  later 
found  pairs  present,  but  no  eggs  have  been  taken. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Mar.  i  (1902) — Apr.  27  (1914)  ;  ave. 
7  yrs.  Mar.  21. 

Departure — Oct.  17  (1901) — Dec.  10  (1902); 
ave.  4  yrs.  Nov.  8. 

238.  Regulus   satrapa    Golden-crowned    Kinglet. 
Abundant  transient,  and  frequent  winter  resident  in 
sheltered  situations. 

Berwyn : 


IIO       The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Arrival — Sept.  24  (1898) — Nov.  30  (1890); 
ave.  24  yrs.  Oct.  9. 

Departure — Mar.  14  (1899) — May  2  (1904- 
1914)  ;  ave.  21  yrs.  Apr.  23. 

239.  Regulus  calundula  calundula  Ruby-crowned 
Kinglet.    Abundant  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  15  (1917) — Apr.  27 
(1910);  ave.  12  yrs.  Apr.  21. 

Spring  departure — May  2  (1904) — May  iS 
(1905);  ave.  6  yrs.  May  9. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  21  (1898-1901) — Oct.  15 
(1896);  ave.  14  yrs.  Oct.  6. 

Fall  departure — Oct.  12  (1898) — Nov.  27 
(1915)  ;  ave.  14  yrs.  Oct.  26. 

240.  Polioptila   cterula   ceerula   Blue-gray   Gnat- 
catcher.     Straggler;    Formerly  a  summer  resident. 
Michener   considered    it   frequent   in   summer   and 
Barnard  notes  its  arrival  Apr.  15  to  25.    The  only 
recent    records    are    of    one    observed    at    Kennett 
Square,  Apr.    19,    1914,  by  Thomas    (Cass.,  xviii, 
61),  and  another  at  Berwyn,  May  19-21,  1914,  by 
the  writer. 

241.  Hylocichla  mustehna  Wood  Thrush,  "Peter 
and  Paul,"  "song  thrush,"  "wood  robin."    Common, 
in  some  localities,  abundant ;  summer  resident.   Nid- 
ification  begins  about  May   16;    average  date  for 
complete  set,  May  27. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Apr.  n  (1890) — May  9  (1885);  ave. 
33  yrs.  May  I. 

Common — Apr.   30    (1890) — May    18    (1898); 


Annotated  List  in 


ave.  28  yrs.   May  8. 

Departure— Sept.  21  (1898)— Nov.  6  (1886); 
ave.  ii  yrs.  Oct.  7. 

242.  Hylocichla    fuscescens  fuscescens    Wilson's 
Thrush,   "Veery."      Not  common   transient.     Dr. 
Montgomery  has  taken  it  only  in  spring,  and  I  have 
but  one  fall  record,  Sept.  19,  1893  (No.  421,  coll. 
F.  L.  B.). 

Arrival — Apr.  30  (1905) — May  14  (1916);  ave. 
6  yrs.  May  6. 

Departure — May  16  (1916) — May  26  (1917); 
ave.  4  yrs.  May  21. 

243.  Hylocichla      alicia       bicknelli      Bicknell's 
Thrush.     Rare  transient.     One  was  taken  at  West 
Chester  by  Josiah  Hoopes  in  1893  (Stone,  Bds.  E. 
Pa.  and  N.  J.,  150),  and  another  at  Berwyn  in  my 
orchard  while  feeding  on  pokeberries,  Oct.  6,  1915 
(No.   1063,  coll-  F.  L.  B.)  ;  the  first  and  second 
county  records. 

244.  Hylocichla   ustulata   ustulata   Olive-backed 
Thrush.    Tolerable  common  transient. 

Berwyn : 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  22  (1896) — May  4 
( 1904)  ;  ave.  4  yrs.  Apr.  28. 

Spring  departure — May  13  (1904-1906-1909) — 
May  30  (1907)  ;  ave.  7  yrs.  May  18. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  20  (1895) — Sept.  26  (1897- 
1903)  ;  ave.  3  yrs.  Sept.  24. 

Fall  departure — Oct.  3  (1891) — Oct.  26 
(1900)  ;  ave.  4  yrs.  Oct.  12. 

245.  Hylocichla  guttata  guttata  Hermit  Thrush, 
"wood  robin."     Common,  sometimes  rather  abund- 


112        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 


ant,  transient. 

Spring  arrival — Apr.  9  (1905) — Apr.  28 
(1911)  ;  ave.  8  yrs.  Apr.  19. 

Spring  departure — Apr.  27  (1900) — May  12 
(1907)  ;  ave.  6  yrs.  May  4. 

Fall  arrival — Sept.  12  (1913) — Oct.  8  (1915)  ; 
ave.  8  yrs.  Sept.  26. 

Fall  departure — Oct.  9  (1890) — Nov.  14 
(1903)  ;  ave.  19  yrs.  Oct.  26. 

246.  Planesticus  migratorius  migratorius   Robin, 
"redbreast,"  "robin,"  "robin-redbreast."    Abundant 
summer  resident;  occasional  resident.     Nidification 
usually  commences  by  April  27,  and  nest  is  com- 
pleted by  April  30. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival— Feb.  7  (1912)— Mar.  17  (1888);  ave. 

32  yrs.  Mar.  2. 

Common — Feb.  21  (1906) — Apr.  5  (1895)  '>  ave. 

33  yrs.  Mar.  14. 

Bulk  departure — Oct.  7  (1903) — Nov.  5 
(1907)  ;  ave.  27  yrs.  Oct.  24. 

Last  seen — Oct.  27  (1915) — Dec.  3  (1891); 
ave.  33  yrs.  Nov.  n. 

247.  Sialia  Stalls  sialis  Bluebird.    Tolerable  com- 
mon summer  resident ;  occasional  resident.    Nidifica- 
tion begins  about  April  1 5  ;  complete  set  April  30. 

Berwyn : 

Arrival — Jan.  17  (1901) — Mar.  25  (1912); 
ave.  33  yrs.  Feb.  19. 

Common — Jan.  30  (1892) — Apr.  28  (1911); 
ave.  29  yrs.  Mar.  2. 

Bulk     departure — Oct.     7     (1915) — Nov.     15 


Annotated  List  113 


(1894)  J  ave.  25  yrs.  Oct.  30. 

Last  seen — Oct.  20   (1904) — Dec.  27    (1900); 
ave.  32  yrs.  Nov.  20. 

SUMMARY 

Resident  (not  necessarily  in  the  individ- 
ual sense)   26  species 

Summer  resident    (including  17  species 
that  are  occasional  resident) ....     72 

Winter  visitant 26        " 

Transient  visitant    (including  9  species 
that  are  occasional  winter  visitant)   75 

Straggler 42 

Extirpated 6        " 


Total 247 

HYPOTHETICAL  LIST 

1.  Mergus  serrator  Red-breasted  Merganser  (in- 
cluded in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

2.  Nettion  carolinensis  Green-winged  Teal   (in- 
cluded in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

3.  Marila    marlla    Scaup    Duck     (included    in 
Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

4.  Marila  collaris  Ring-necked  Duck   (included 
in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

5.  Harelda    hy emails    Old-squaw    (included    in 
Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

6.  Olor  columbianus  Whistling  Swan   (included 
in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 


H4       The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

7.  Coturnicaps  noveboracensis  Yellow  Rail    (in- 
cluded in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

8.  Lobipes  lobatus  Northern  Phalarope  (included 
in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

9.  Macrorhamphus  griscus  griscus  Dowitcher  (in- 
cluded in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

10.  Pisobia    maculata    Pectoral    Sandpiper     (in- 
cluded in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

11.  Pelidna  alpina  alpina   Dunlin    (included   in 
Michener's  later  list  without  comment). 

12.  Numenius    americanus    Long-billed    Curlew 
(included  in  Michener's  later  list  without  comment) 

13.  ftLgialitis  meloda  Piping  Plover  (reported  by 
Harry  Wilson  to  have  occurred  in  Highland  Twp. 
about  1900). 

14.  Surma  ulula  caparoch  Hawk  Owl  (reported 
as  occurring  at  Oxford,  by  Casper  G.  Burn). 

15.  Carduelis  carduelis  European  Goldfinch   (re- 
ported seen  at  Westtown,  Aug.  19,  1912,  by  Sarah 
C.  DeHaven). 

1 6.  Hylocichla      alicia       alicitz       Gray-cheeked 
Thrush    (appears  on  several  manuscript  lists,  and 
Michener  in  his  first  list  gives  it  as  very  rare,  doubt- 
ful). 


Photo   by  A.   C.   Redfield 

YELLOW-BREASTED    CHAT    ON 


NEST 


Photo  by  T.  H.  Jackson 

KENTUCKY    WARBLER    NEST    AND    EGGS 


PART  III 

BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  FAUNAL  LISTS 

BARNARD,  VINCENT.  A  Catalogue  of  the 
Birds  of  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania,  with  Their 
Times  of  Arrival  in  Spring,  from  Observations  An- 
nually for  Ten  Successive  Years.  (Fifteenth)  Ann. 
Report  Smithsonian  Inst.  (for  1860),  pp.  434-438, 
(191  species). 

MICHENER,  E.,  M.  D.,  Avondale;  Penn'a. 
Agricultural  Ornithology.  Insectivorous  Birds  of 
Chester  County,  Pennsylvania.  Report  of  Com'r 
of  Agriculture  for  1863,  pp.  287-307,  ( 186  species, 
land  birds  only). 

P(HILLIPS),  C.  F.  Birds  of  Southern  Penn- 
sylvania. Forest  and  Stream,  vi,  5,  Mar.  9,  1876, 
p.  67,  (21  species,  mostly  in  vicinity  of  Kennett 
Square). 

^  WARREN,  B.  HARRY.  The  Birds  of  Chester 
County,  Pa.  Forest  and  Stream,  xiii,  1879,  pp. 
1024-1025;  xiv,  1880,  pp.  6  and  25,  (218  species). 
^M(ICHENER),  E(ZRA).  Birds  of  Chester 
County,  Penna.  History  of  Chester  County,  Penn- 
sylvania. By  T.  Smith  Futhey  and  Gilbert  Cope, 
Philadelphia,  1881,  pp.  441-445,  (232  species). 

WARREN,  B.  HARRY,  West  Chester,  Pa. 
Diurnal  Rapacious  Birds  (With  special  reference 
to  Chester  County,  Pa.)  Penna.  Agri.  Report  for 
1883,  pp.  96-109,  (10  species). 

WARREN,  B.  H.  Our  Home  Feathered  Tribe. 
A  Complete  List  of  the  Birds  that  Sing,  Warble, 


Il6       The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Carol,  Twitter,  Nest  and  Help  Make  Up  Charm- 
ing Chester  County.  West  Chester  Local  News, 
Sept.  3  and  10,  1885.  (80  species,  resident  and 
summer  resident). 

PENNOCK,  C.  J.,  Prepared  by;  Kennett 
Square,  Pa.  The  Birds  of  Chester  County.  2Qth 
and  3Oth  Quarterly  Reports  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Board  of  Agriculture,  October,  November  and 
December,  1885,  January,  February  and  March, 
1886.  Harrisburg,  Edwin  K.  Meyers,  State  Prin- 
ter. 1886.  pp.  78-91.  (236  species). 

PENNOCK,  C.  J.,  Prepared  by;  Birds  of  Ches- 
ter County,  Penn.  The  Oologist,  vol.  4,  no.  I,  Jan. 
and  February,  1887,  pp.  i-io.  (236  sp.). 

RESSEL,  CYRUS  B.  (Ercildoun,  Pa.)  Birds  of 
Chester  County,  Penn.  Ornithologist  and  Oologist, 
xiv,  July-Sept.,  1889,  pp.  97-101,  113-116, 
129-130,  and  158  and  175  for  criticism.  (199 
species ) . 

JACKSON,  THOMAS  H.  West  Chester,  Pa. 
Notes  on  the  Owls  of  Chester  County,  Pa.  The 
Kansas  City  Scientist,  v.  I,  Jan.,  1891,  pp.  /-J. 
(8  species). 

BURNS,  FRANK  L.  Some  remarks  on  the 
"Birds  of  Chester  Count},  Pa."  Wilson  Bulletin, 
No.  12,  Jan.  30,  1897,  PP-  J~4>  and  No.  22,  Sept. 
30,  1898,  pp.  68-69. 

MONTGOMERY,  THOS.  H.,  M.  D.  A  List 
of  the  Birds  of  the  Vicinity  of  West  Chester,  Ches- 
ter County,  Pennsylvania.  The  American  Natur- 
alist, xxxi,  1897,  PP-  622-628,  811-814  and  908- 
911.  (145  species). 


Bibliography  of  Fauna!  Lists  117 

BURNS,  FRANK  L.  A  Sectional  Bird  Census. 
Taken  at  Berwyn,  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania, 
During  the  Seasons  of  1899,  1900  and  1901.  The 
Wilson  Bulletin  No.  37,  Dec.,  1901,  pp.  84-103. 
(62+20  species). 

BURNS,  FRANK  L.  Second  Sectional  Bird 
Census,  1914,  Taken  at  Berwyn,  Chester  County, 
Pennsylvania.  Bird-Lore,  xvii,  Mar.-Apr.,  lOij, 
pp.  1 00- 1 1 1.  (60+20  species). 
^  BURN,  CASPAR  G.  MS.  "Local  Birds  of 
Southern  Chester  County,  Pa."  (Oxford  and  vicin- 
ity; received  Mar.  i,  1916;  102  species). 

THOMAS,  C.  AUBREY.  MS.  Bird  List  and 
Migration  Record  for  1907-1915,  Taken  in  the 
Vicinity  of  Kennett  Square.  (This  includes  some 
of  the  Pennock  records  for  the  same  period,  Receiv- 
ed Mar.  28,  1916;  153  species). 
^  WILSON,  H.  MS.  "Birds  of  Western  Chester 
County,  Pa."  Dated  Mar.  2  and  Apr.  6,  1916. 
(Mostly  the  rarer  birds  of  Highland  township;  35 
species). 

HUNT,  CHRESWELL  J.  MS.  "Birds  of 
Honeybrook  and  West  Nantmeal  Townships,  Ches- 
ter County,  Pa."  Feb.  9,  1917.  (Principally  a  list 
of  the  breeding  birds  of  the  upper  branches  of  the 
Brandywine  creek  and  the  Welsh  mountain  region 
in  the  vicinity  of  Cupola  and  Honeybrook,  observed 
during  the  vacations  of  1901  to  1909  inclusive; 
97  species). 


NOTES 


SI  am 


ofthriocaof 
rof  A 


Caprs,  Haii  Apr.  2«,  17*5;  «  -  Nor  T«k 
27,  1851- 

Say,  k  fill  i.lii'i  J^y  27.  '7»7;  ^- 
r,  IW_  Oct.  i<x  1854^ 

k.  fUaieWho,  Ott.  10, 
1809;  4.  Wasfa^too,  D.  C,  FA  6t  1851. 

OU  an 


TWifiaB  Price  T 
5,  1813;  A.  West 


TPL,  Mar.  24,  1818;  iL  W 


k  West  Choaa;  1819;  A. 
Twpu  Bab  €4^  liar.  7v  1887. 
119 


I2O       The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

15George  Archibold  McCall,  b.  Philadelphia, 
Mar.  16,  1802;  d.  West  Goshen  Twp.,  Feb.  25, 
1868. 

"Edward  Drinker  Cope,  b.  Philadelphia,  July 
28,  1840;  d.  Philadelphia,  Apr.  12,  1897. 

17 Joseph  Webster  Sharp,  b.  Yorkshire,  England, 
1828;  d.  Berwyn,  Mar.  31,  1908. 

18Willis  Price  Hazard,  b.  Hunteville,  Ala.,  July 
22,  1825;  d.  Seccane,  Delaware  Co.,  Feb.  18,  1912. 

19Graceanna  Lewis,  b.  West  Vincent  Twp.,  Aug. 
3,  1821 ;  d.  Media,  Delaware  Co.,  Feb.  26,  1912. 

"Natural  History  of  Birds,  |  Lectures  on  Orni- 


thology 
Part  I. 


in  Ten  Parts,  |  By  |  Grace  Anna  Lewis 
"The    little    birds    sang    East,    and    the 


little  birds  sang  West— |  TOLL  SLOWLY!  |  And 
but  little  thought  was  theirs,  of  the  silent  antique 
years,  |  In  the  building  of  their  nest."  | — |  J.  A.  Ban- 
croft &  Co.  |  512  Arch  St.,  Philadelphia.  |  I2mo., 
pp.  (i)-32. 

"Mrs.  John  Oberholtzer,  nee  Vickers,  b.  Uwch- 
lan  Twp.,  May  20,  1841. 

"Vincent  Barnard,  b.  East  Marlsborough  Twp., 
Aug.  27,  1825;  d.  Kennett  Square,  Apr.  25,  1871. 

23Ezra  Michener,  b.  London  Grove  Twp.,  Nov. 
24,  1794;  d.  New  Garden,  June  24,  1887. 

"Christopher  D.  Wood,  d.  Philadelphia,  Oct. 
15,  1889,  in  his  47th  year. 

25Harry  Garrett,  b.  Willistown  Twp.,  Sept  n, 
1838;  d.  West  Chester,  June  25,  1904. 

26Josiah  Hoopes,  b.  West  Chester,  Nov.  9,  1832; 
d.  West  Chester,  Jan.  16,  1904. 

27Evan  Jackson  Darlington,  b.  Chester  Co.,  Aug. 


Notes  121 


31,  1856;  d.  Wilmington,  Del.,  Aug.  7,  1915. 

28Jonathan  Hoopes  Matlack,  b.  near  West  Ches- 
ter, Sept.  28,  1832;  d.  West  Chester,  Jan.  I,  1916. 

29Bernard  Adolphus  Hoopes,  d.  New  Mexico, 
1896. 

30John  Krider,  b.  Philadelphia,  Feb.  17,  1813;  d. 
Philadelphia,  Nov.  12,  1886. 

31George  Williamson  Roberts,  b.  East  Bradford 
Twp.,  July  17,  1865;  d.  East  Bradford  Twp.,  Aug. 

29,  1913- 

32Moses  Pennock  Barnard,  b.  Kennett  Square, 
Oct.  24,  1860;  d.  Kennett  Square,  Jan.  I,  1898. 

33William  Smedley  Hall,  b.  Willistown  Twp., 
July  26,  1866,  d.  Willistown  Twp.,  Jan.  6,  1890. 

34Willett  Enos  Rotzell,  b.  Philadelphia,  June  19, 
1871 ;  d.  Philadelphia,  July  16,  1913. 

35Joseph  Parker  Norris,  b.  Philadelphia,  Nov.  3, 
1847;  d.  Philadelphia,  Mar.  17,  1916. 

36Charles  John  Pennock,  b.  Kennett  Square,  Nov. 
18,  1857;  disappeared  May  15,  1913. 

37Since  Dr.  Warren  in  his  later  works  has  also 
accepted  Michener's  hypothetical  species,  it  is  in- 
teresting to  observe  how  easily  an  evident  error  can 
be  perpetuated.  In  the  instance  of  M.g.grieseus 
Dowitcher,  in  which  he  gave  Michener  (1881)  as 
his  authority  for  its  occurrence  in  Chester  county 
(Bds.  Pa.,  235),  and  a  year  or  so  later,  no  doubt 
with  the  above  in  mind;  stated  that  specimens  had 
been  taken  (Ibid.  2nd  ed.,  83),  and  in  1892,  Stone 
gives  Warren's  later  statement  as  his  authority  for  a 
Chester  county  record  (Bds.  E.  Pa.  and  N.  J.,  72). 

38Thomas  Harrison  Montgomery,  b.  New  York, 


122        The  Ornithology  of  Chester  County 

Mar.  5,  1873;  d.  Philadelphia,  Mar.  19,  1912. 

39Francis  Windle,  b.  West  Marlborough  Twp. ; 
d.  West  Chester,  Feb.  24,  1917,  in  his  72nd  year. 

40Alexander  Wilson  observed  that  one  was  shot 
a  few  years  ago  (prior  to  1814)  on  the  borders  of 
the  Schuylkill  river,  below  Philadelphia.  No  doubt 
this  is  the  authority  for  Turnbull's  record.  The 
breeding  female  reported  taken  near  Phoenixville, 
was  really  shot  near  a  herony  on  the  Perkiomen 
creek  in  Montgomery  county,  Apr.  4,  1892.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  that  all  these  State  records  have 
been  made  not  far  apart. 

41Cf.  Coues  and  Prentiss  in  their  list  of  land  birds 
1  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  Ann.  Rep.  Board  of 
Regents  Smith.  Inst.  for  the  year  1861,  p.  415,  for 
similar  record. 

"According  to  B.  M.  Everhart  of  West  Chester, 
there  were  seen  in  Chester  county  at  irregular  in- 
tervals between  1852  and  1854  tne  true  Aluda 
arvensis  Skylark  from  a  flock  liberated  near  Wil- 
mington, Del.  Cf.  Warren,  Bds.  Pa.,  1890,  p.  198. 

43Dr.  Chapman  in  a  series  of  51  breeding  males 
taken  at  West  Chester  by  Dr.  B.  H.  Warren  and 
G.  W.  Roberts,  found  two  specimens  almost  typical 
of  Q.  q.  aglaus  Florida  Crackle.  Cf.  Bull.  N.  Y. 
Mus.  Nat.  Hist.,  iv,  12. 


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